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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27753790">The More Things Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/molstrom/pseuds/molstrom'>molstrom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Saga of Juice and Kat [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sons of Anarchy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:02:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27753790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/molstrom/pseuds/molstrom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kathryn (Kat/Katy) grew up in Charming as best friends with Jax Teller, Opie Winston, and David Hale. She got pregnant at 15, left town at 17, and now at 30 is back home with her 15-year-old daughter Annabelle (Belle). Sticks as close to canon as possible with original characters added. Starts roughly during Season 1, Episode 2.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Juice Ortiz/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Saga of Juice and Kat [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My daughter and I have been living with my sister in Charming, California, for the past six months, ever since my husband was killed in the line of duty. My sister works as a bartender, and I’m an editor for a publishing house, editing mostly trashy romance novels, so we make a good income between us, and I’m able to work from home.</p><p>I’m sitting at my desk in my bedroom working on the latest shitty novel when I hear the front door slam and my sister yell:<br/>“Kat? You home?”<br/>“I’m working!”<br/>Jess comes bounding into the room and says:<br/>“Get dressed. We’re going to a party.”<br/>“I’m not a crow-eater, Jess.”<br/>“You don’t have to be a crow-eater to come to a party. It’s been six months since Mark died, I know you miss him, but you can’t just stay in this house forever. Get dolled up, come with me, have some drinks. No-one is going to make you fuck one of the guys.”<br/>“And Belle?”<br/>“Belle is 15. She’s perfectly fine, staying home alone for a little while. Besides, she has Beastie here. She’ll do her homework and then curl up with the over-protective pitbull and watch a movie.”<br/>“You’re much more trusting than me. She’s 15. Leaving her home alone seems like a fast track to me being a very young grandmother.”<br/>“She’s not you, Kat. She’s not going to get knocked up at 15 and derail her fucking life. She’s a good girl, a smart girl.”<br/>“Well…You’re right about that…Fine. I’ll go.”</p><p>Her blue eyes light up, and she moves over to my closet.<br/>“Excellent. I’ll find you an outfit.”<br/>She digs through my closet until she decides on an outfit. She throws a pair of jeans, an emerald green halter top, and a leather jacket at me. It’s a good outfit choice; the emerald green colour plays up my dark red hair and pale skin really well.<br/>“Wear the push-up bra.”<br/>“You are extremely bossy.”<br/>“I’m your big sister; it’s my job. Curl your hair, but leave it down.”<br/>“What? No suggestions for my make-up?”<br/>“Gold eyeshadow. Make those blue eyes of yours pop.”<br/>“I was being sarcastic.”<br/>“Oh, I know.”</p><p>I get up and go shower before getting dressed and doing my hair and make-up. When I’m done, I go to Belle’s room and knock before opening the door.<br/>“Hey, Mama. You look good. Going out?”<br/>“Yeah, your Aunt is dragging me to some SAMCRO party.”<br/>“Can I spend the night at Beth’s?”<br/>“And do what?”<br/>“Homework, girl talk…nothing insane, Mama.”<br/>“Yeah. Okay. Go, have fun. Put Beastie in the backyard before you leave.”<br/>“Thanks, Mama.”<br/>I walk over to her and gently twirl her strawberry-blonde ponytail around my fingers before kissing the top of her head.<br/>“I love you, kid.”<br/>“I love you too, Mama.”</p><p>I leave her room and find Jess in the living room.<br/>“You ready to go, Kat?”<br/>“I guess. I’m only staying for a few drinks, though. Then I’m coming home.”<br/>“Sure. I just want you to get out of the house for a while.”<br/>“Well, let’s go then.”</p><p>She drives us over to Teller-Morrow and parks on the street. We both leave our jackets in the car and walk into the lot. She takes my hand and leads me towards a group of SAMCRO guys around a picnic table. A man I recognize from the house says:<br/>“Jess! You finally managed to get your sister to tag along, I see.”</p><p>I elbow Jess and quietly say:<br/>“You have never tried to get me to come to a party before.”<br/>“Well, yeah. You’re younger and prettier than me. I didn’t want to share them with you.”<br/>“You don’t have to worry about that. I don’t want them. I do, however, want a drink.”<br/>“Let me introduce you to these guys; then we’ll go get you a drink.”<br/>“Fine.”</p><p>We walk over to the group, and Jess says:<br/>“Guys, this is my sister Kat.”<br/>The guy who spoke earlier holds out his hand and says:<br/>“Chibs.”<br/>A kind of twitchy blonde dude sitting on the table holds out his hand and says:<br/>“Half-Sack.”<br/>I laugh and say:<br/>“Half-Sack? Really?”<br/>“Yeah…Well, no. My name is Kip, but no-one calls me that.”<br/>“Can I? I don’t think I can handle calling you Half-Sack. I mean, maybe if I was 12, but since I’m a grown-ass woman…I can’t. It’s just too stupid.”<br/>“Judgmental much?”<br/>“Yeah, it’s a personality flaw. Sorry about that.”<br/>He grins and says:<br/>“Yeah. You can call me Kip.”<br/>“Thank you.”<br/>The next guy holds out his hand and says:<br/>“Tig.”<br/>“Like…Tigger? The bouncy tiger?”<br/>“Yeah…Sure.”<br/>The guy standing next to Tig has his arms crossed, and that doesn’t change as he says:<br/>“I’m Juice. You going to judge my nickname too?”<br/>“Is yours a reference to your testicles?”<br/>“No.”<br/>“Then probably not.”</p><p>I turn away from him and look at Kip.<br/>“Get me a drink?”<br/>He jumps off the table and says:<br/>“Yeah. Come with me.”<br/>I let go of Jess’s hand and follow Kip inside the clubhouse. He directs me to a barstool and says:<br/>“What can I get you?”<br/>“A beer? In a bottle?”<br/>“Opened where you can see it?”<br/>“Please.”<br/>He gets us both a beer and comes to sit next to me. He opens both bottles and sets them on the bar in front of me.<br/>“Lady’s choice.”<br/>I take a beer and say:<br/>“Thanks, Kip.”<br/>“You have a bad experience?”<br/>“Yeah. I was 15. Had my daughter 9 months later. I’d rather not relive that.”<br/>“No-one here would drug you.”<br/>“Yeah…Still better to be safe than sorry.”<br/>“True…So why’d you choose me to have a drink with?”<br/>“Chibs is clearly fucking my sister, and Jess gets a little territorial. Tig freaked me out a little, and Juice seemed like a dick.”<br/>“He isn’t. I don’t know what that was.”<br/>I shrug and say:<br/>“I really don’t give a shit. I told Jess I’d come and have a couple of drinks. That’s it.”<br/>“You’re wearing a wedding ring. Your husband know you’re here?”<br/>“He died…six months ago.”<br/>“How?”<br/>“He was a cop. He pulled someone over, and they shot him in the face.”<br/>“Jesus.”<br/>“Oh, it gets worse. It was take your kids to work day at my daughter’s school. She didn’t want to stay home with me and watch me edit books, so she went on a ride-along with her step-dad. She watched him die.”<br/>“That’s awful. How old is she?”<br/>“Fifteen.”<br/>“How old was she when you married him?”<br/>“Seven.”<br/>“How is she handling things?”<br/>“Surprisingly well, actually. I think being here with Jess and her grandparents is helping.”<br/>“Where did you live before?”<br/>“Boise.”<br/>“Idaho?!”<br/>“You know another Boise?”<br/>He grins and says:<br/>“Good point.”</p><p>Before either of us can say anything else, a voice says:<br/>“Sack. Take a hike.”<br/>Kip looks at me and says:<br/>“Sorry.”<br/>He gets up and walks outside as Juice sits down on the stool he just vacated. I quickly finish my beer and go to stand up, but he reaches out and grabs my hand as he says:<br/>“Stay.”<br/>“Why?”<br/>“I’m sorry about before. I’m not actually an asshole.”<br/>“Yeah? That’s nice.”<br/>“Not going to ask why I was an asshole?”<br/>“Nope.”<br/>“Why not?”<br/>“Because I don’t care. I told Jess I would come and have a drink. I came, I drank, now I can go home.”</p><p>I pull my hand out of his and stand up. As I move past him, he reaches out and grabs my arm.<br/>“Come for a ride with me. I promise to not be an asshole.”<br/>“Just pick a crow-eater to spend time with. I’m not interested. Let me go.”<br/>He lets go of my arm and says:<br/>“I’m sorry about your husband.”<br/>“Yeah…Everyone’s so damn sorry. Doesn’t bring him back, though.”</p><p>I walk out of the clubhouse and out of the lot, walking towards home. I’m a couple of blocks away from Teller-Morrow when a motorcycle pulls up next to me.<br/>“At least let me give you a ride home. It’s pretty far to walk.”<br/>I sigh and say:<br/>“Fine.”<br/>He hands me his helmet, and I get on the bike behind him.<br/>“You need to hold on, Kat.”<br/>I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around his waist. When we start moving, I feel off-balance, so I lean closer to him, tightening my arms around his waist and resting the side of my face on his back. He takes one of his hands off of the handlebars and squeezes my hand.</p><p>When we get to the house, he parks the bike, and we both get off. I take his helmet off and hand it to him.<br/>“Thanks for the ride.”<br/>“You’re welcome.”<br/>I start walking towards the house but stop halfway and sigh before turning around.<br/>“Do you want to come in for a drink?”<br/>He grins, and his whole face lights up as he says:<br/>“Yeah.”<br/>He follows me into the house, and as I close the door, I gesture at the couch.<br/>“Have a seat. I’ll get us a couple of beers.”<br/>He takes off his kutte and sits on the couch while I walk into the kitchen to get beers and to open the back door, so Beastie can come in.</p><p>When I walk back into the living room, Beastie is behind me, but when he sees Juice sitting on the couch, he starts to growl and bark.<br/>“Beastie, chill.”<br/>Beastie shuts up and stands still until I sit down on the far end of the couch from Juice. Once I’m sitting down, Beastie comes over to me and sits against the couch in front of me. Juice laughs and says:<br/>“Overprotective pitbull.”<br/>“Aren’t they all?”<br/>“Yeah. I guess that’s true.”</p><p>We’re both quiet for a minute, so I take the opportunity to study him. He is built, with muscles slightly bulging out of his sleeves. He’s got gorgeous light caramel coloured skin and dark brown hair cut in a short mohawk. He’s got two stupid tribal tattoos on his scalp on either side of the mohawk, but I can forgive that because his face is so very pretty. Chiselled jaw, brown eyes with long lashes…<br/>“Kat? You’re staring.”<br/>“Sorry. Got lost in thought.”<br/>“Yeah? What thought?”<br/>I shrug and say:<br/>“You’re kind of pretty.”<br/>“Kind of?”<br/>“Stop fishing. You know exactly how pretty you are.”<br/>“I’m just wondering how pretty you think I am.”<br/>I roll my eyes and drink my beer.<br/>“Why can’t you answer the question, Kat?”<br/>I put my beer down on the coffee table and nudge Beastie with my foot.<br/>“Go to your bed, Beastie.”<br/>As Beastie gets up, Juice puts his beer on the table. He looks at me and smirks before saying:<br/>“What are you thinking, Kat?”<br/>“I have no idea.”<br/>“Come here.”</p><p>I take a deep breath and move down the couch, straddling his lap before running my hands over his head and down his neck to his shoulders. He brings his hands up, resting one on my spine and twisting the ends of my hair around the fingers of the other.<br/>“I haven’t…Since Mark died.”<br/>“If you don’t want to, I’m good with just hanging out.”<br/>“I don’t know what I want.”<br/>He moves his hand from my hair to the back of my neck and pulls me to him before he kisses me, all soft and sweet. I press myself closer to him as he deepens the kiss, and I moan against his mouth when he tightens his arm around me. When we pull apart, he says:<br/>“Kat, what do you want?”<br/>“Why were you an asshole earlier?”<br/>“You’re wearing a wedding ring. I don’t like cheaters.”<br/>“All I was doing was introducing myself. Even if my husband was still alive, that’s not cheating.”<br/>“Jess is a crow-eater. I just assumed…”<br/>“Yeah…I have no interest in being a crow-eater.”<br/>“I’m going to ask again. What do you want?”<br/>“You.”<br/>I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him again as he slides his hands under my ass and stands up. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he starts walking us down the hall. I stop kissing him long enough to say:<br/>“Last door on the right.”</p><p>He walks into my room and kicks the door closed behind us. He puts me down and brushes my hair back out of my face, looking down at me.<br/>“God, you’re beautiful.”<br/>I feel myself blush, and he laughs and says:<br/>“Even prettier when you’re embarrassed.”<br/>“Oh, shut up.”<br/>I reach out and pull his shirt off before running my hands over his chest and abdomen until I get to his belt buckle. I undo it and then undo his pants. Before I can push them down, he pulls my hands away and says:<br/>“You first, babe.”<br/>He pulls my shirt off before taking off my bra and gently brushing his hands over my nipples. I gasp, and he smirks before he moves his hands down to my jeans, quickly undoing them and pushing them off my body. He looks at me and licks his lips before growling:<br/>“Lie down on the bed.”<br/>I do as he says, and he climbs over me, kissing and biting his way down my neck and chest until he gets to my breasts. He gently bites his way along my right breast before circling my nipple with his tongue. When I gasp and writhe under him, he sucks my nipple into his mouth and flicks his tongue across it before switching to my left breast. I moan and say:<br/>“Juice…More…Please.”<br/>He lifts his head and says:<br/>“I have no intention of stopping. Don’t worry.”<br/>He moves further down my body, kissing and biting my stomach until he gets to one of my many scars. He lifts his head and says:<br/>“What is this?”<br/>“A scar. What? You’ve never seen one before?”<br/>“A scar from what?”<br/>“My mother was an abusive drunk. She left when I was two, but before that…She left her mark.”<br/>“What about your dad?”<br/>“He died when I was eight. Jess was eighteen…barely. She petitioned the court for custody; she won it.”<br/>“Was he a good dad?”<br/>“I don’t really remember him. Jess said he was good when he was home, but he wasn’t home often.”<br/>“How old is your daughter?”<br/>“Fifteen.”<br/>“How old are you?”<br/>“Thirty.”<br/>“How did that happen?”<br/>“Well, when two people love each other very, very much…”<br/>He rolls his eyes and says:<br/>“Seriously, Kat.”<br/>“On my fifteenth birthday, my girlfriends and I went to a party. I was drugged and raped. Nine months later, Belle was born.”<br/>His eyes fill with tears, and I say:<br/>“You said you weren’t going to stop, and then you stopped.”<br/>“Sorry, got distracted by the scar.”</p><p>He goes back to kissing down my stomach before settling between my legs. He bites and kisses my inner thighs before running his tongue along me. He focuses on my labia for a moment before sucking my clit into his mouth, flicking his tongue over it. When I start moaning, he slides two fingers into me, crooking them to hit my g-spot. He pumps them into me quickly while increasing the suction on my clit until I orgasm, screaming his name.</p><p>He moves back up my body and kisses me. I run my nails over his head as we kiss until I hear the front door and a voice say:<br/>“Katy?”<br/>Juice pulls away and says:<br/>“Is that Hale?”<br/>“Yup. Guess I need to put clothes on.”<br/>He lets me up, and I pull on sweatpants and a t-shirt while he does up his pants. We walk out to the living room, and David says:<br/>“Juice.”<br/>Juice smirks and says:<br/>“Hale.”<br/>I roll my eyes at them both and say:<br/>“David, why are you here?”<br/>“Belle’s at St. Thomas.”<br/>“What? Why?”<br/>“There was an incident at a party tonight. She called me. I took her to St. Thomas and left her with Tara.”<br/>“Tara Knowles? She’s a doctor now?”<br/>“Yeah. You should go down there. She needs you.”<br/>“David…What happened?”<br/>“You should talk to Belle, sweetheart.”<br/>“Yeah. Okay.”</p><p>I grab a hoodie and sneakers before saying to Juice:<br/>“I guess I need a rain check…Sorry.”<br/>“It’s okay. Want me to come with you?”<br/>“No. The first time my daughter meets you shouldn’t be when she’s in the hospital.”<br/>“Are you sure?”<br/>“Yeah. I’m good. Tara’s an old friend.”<br/>Juice says:<br/>“How do you know everyone?”<br/>“Did I fail to mention that I grew up here? I moved to Boise when Belle was two.”<br/>“So Belle’s father?”<br/>“Is someone from here…yeah.”<br/>“Can I wait here for you to get back?”<br/>“No. Can I come by the clubhouse tomorrow?”<br/>“Yeah. I’ll be there all day. I’ll walk you out.”<br/>“Thanks.”<br/>David says:<br/>“I’ll lock up and then meet you at the hospital.”<br/>“Thanks.”</p><p>Juice walks into the bedroom to get his shirt, then comes back out and grabs his kutte. We walk out of the house together, and he kisses me before I get in the car. Before I close the door, he says:<br/>“I’ll see you tomorrow?”<br/>“Yes.”<br/>“I hope Belle is okay.”<br/>“Thanks. Goodnight, Juice.”<br/>He closes the door, and I drive away, heading to the hospital.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When I get to the hospital, I ask where to find Belle and am directed to the third floor. As I step out of the elevator, I practically walk into Jax.<br/>	“Katy?”<br/>	“Yeah. Do you know where Tara is?”<br/>	“In an exam room with a teenage girl.”<br/>	“Yeah…which exam room?”<br/>	“She can’t talk right now.”<br/>	“Jax…the teenage girl is my daughter. Where are they?”<br/>	“That’s Belle?! Jesus Christ. I’ll walk you down.”</p>
<p>We walk down the hallway to an exam room. I knock on the door and when Tara opens it, she sighs and says:<br/>	“Katy…It looks worse than it is.”<br/>	“That’s reassuring, Tara.”<br/>She lets me into the room and I walk over to the bed. Belle is lying there, covered in bruises. Her face is swollen and already darkening, she’s got a handprint bruise on her throat and more on her arms.<br/>	“Oh, baby…what happened?”<br/>	“I told Uncle David.”<br/>	“Yeah, but Uncle David thought you should tell me. Can you?”<br/>	“Beth and I went to a party.”<br/>	“Okay.”<br/>	“I didn’t have any alcohol…I thought I was keeping myself safe, but one of the football players was flirting with me and he brought me a soda. I didn’t think about it, Mama. I took a drink, but it tasted funny, so I didn’t drink any more of it. He convinced me to go into a room with him and we were kissing, but he wanted…more. I said no and clenched my legs together when he tried to pull them apart. He punched me in the face trying to get me to cooperate. When I still wouldn’t cooperate, he got his friends to hold me down.”<br/>	“Oh, sweetheart…I’m so sorry that happened to you. Did he?”<br/>	“Yes.”</p>
<p>Tara says:<br/>	“On the plus side, he used a condom, but that also means there’s no physical evidence to tie him to this.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“So Uncle David can’t do anything.”<br/>	“That’s not necessarily true, Belle. Uncle David will do everything he can.”<br/>From the doorway I hear:<br/>	“There’s another way to get justice, Katy.”<br/>	“I am not bringing the club into this, Jax. We don’t need them…you to solve our problems.”<br/>	“Belle knows who did this, Katy. We can handle it tomorrow.”<br/>	“I am a cop’s widow, she is a cop’s daughter. Her Uncle is a cop in this town. We will handle this the right way. We don’t need your outlaw justice.”<br/>Belle squeezes my hand and says:<br/>	“Mama…let them.”<br/>From behind me, I hear David say:<br/>	“Belle’s right, Katy. Normally I’d say to let us handle it, but here…Katy…there’s no evidence. All we have is Belle’s word against theirs. Let Jax and the guys handle it.”<br/>	“Seriously?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“They’re just teenage boys. We’re really going to let the club kill them?”<br/>Jax rolls his eyes and sounds exasperated as he says:<br/>	“We’re not going to kill them, Kathryn. We’re just going to have a little chat with them and remind them that no means no.”<br/>	“You and Ope wanted to kill the guy that raped me. It’s not a stretch to think that you’d want the same here.”<br/>	“We were angry 16-year-olds who found one of our best friends unconscious and bleeding. Yeah, we wanted the guy dead. But you didn’t know who it was.”<br/>	“Yes, I did. I woke up while…it’s the only memory I have of that night.”<br/>	“Who was it?”<br/>	“Kyle.”<br/>	“Hobart?!”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>Jax sighs heavily and shakes his head.<br/>	“Are you going to let us handle the assholes that did this or not?”<br/>	“Fine. Since that’s what Belle wants. I’ll leave it in the club’s hands.”<br/>	“Good. Come to the clubhouse tomorrow morning. 10:00. Bring Belle.”<br/>	“Yeah, okay.”</p>
<p>Jax and David both walk out of the room and Tara says:<br/>	“You guys can go home. Belle has antibiotics she needs to take, and I gave her plan B already, just to be safe.”<br/>	“Thank you, Tara. What can she take for the pain?”<br/>	“Tylenol. Regular strength, every four hours. Nothing’s broken or anything.”<br/>	“Good.”</p>
<p>Tara leaves and I help Belle get dressed, then we go home. When we get there, she says:<br/>	“Mama, can I sleep with you tonight?”<br/>	“Of course. Go shower and change into your pyjamas. I’m going to let Beastie in and I’ll be right there.”<br/>She walks down the hall and I open the back door for Beastie. Once he’s inside, I close and lock the door and head down the hallway too. I get changed into pyjamas and by the time Belle climbs into bed I am laying there waiting for her.</p>
<p>When she climbs in next to me she says:<br/>	“Your bed smells like someone else.”<br/>	“Yeah. It does.”<br/>	“You met someone?”<br/>	“Yeah. He seems like a nice guy. You’ll meet him tomorrow. He’ll be at the clubhouse.”<br/>	“He’s SAMCRO?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Thought you didn’t want to be a crow-eater.”<br/>	“I don’t. But I wanted him.”<br/>	“Did you?”<br/>	“Have sex with him? No. We didn’t get that far before Uncle David came in.”<br/>	“Mama?”<br/>	“Yeah, baby?”<br/>	“Why didn’t you let Jax and Uncle Opie kill the guy who raped you?”<br/>	“I was still trying to keep them from becoming their fathers. I knew that if they killed Kyle, they’d never be the same.”<br/>	“Oh…I guess that makes sense.”<br/>	“Go to sleep, Belle. I’m right here.”</p>
<p>She curls up and I wrap myself around her, holding her tightly as I feel her body start to relax and her breathing steady.</p>
<p>In the morning we both get ready and head over to Teller-Morrow. When we get there, Belle says:<br/>	“I’m going to go say hi to Gramma Gemma.”<br/>As she walks away I hear a voice behind me say:<br/>	“Gramma Gemma?”<br/>I turn around and smile at Juice before saying:<br/>	“Growing up Jax, Opie, and David were my best friends. When I was raped, it was Jax and Opie who found me. They took me to Gemma. Gemma had always been like a mom to me, but when I was pregnant, she took care of me. She helped me the first couple of years of Belle’s life, and then she and Clay sent gifts every birthday and Christmas that we were gone.” <br/>	“So you have pretty deep ties to SAMCRO. How come I’ve never heard anyone talk about you?”</p>
<p>I hear a deep voice from behind me say:<br/>	“We talk about my Katy all the time. We just don’t normally refer to her as Kat. That’s not what she was called growing up. We usually say, Katy or Kathryn.”<br/>I turn around and hug the large man standing there.<br/>	“Hi, Piney.”<br/>	“Hi, Katy-Kat.”<br/>As I let go of him and step back towards Juice, Belle comes running over from where she was walking with Gemma and launches herself at Piney.<br/>	“Uncle Piney!”<br/>He wraps his arms around her tightly and I hear him whisper:<br/>	“I’m sorry this happened to you…Poor little girl.”<br/>He puts her down and they start walking towards the clubhouse. </p>
<p>As Juice and I follow, he takes my hand, interlacing our fingers and quietly says:<br/>	“I had fun last night. You want to do it again?”<br/>	“Very much so. Come over later when you’re done with your club stuff today. Maybe we can actually go for that ride.”<br/>	“To my place? So I can make you scream without your daughter in the next room?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>He stops and kisses me before we walk into the clubhouse. When we get inside, I squeeze his hand and then let him go, stepping away from him as I do. </p>
<p>I catch up with Belle and wrap my arm around her waist before whispering:<br/>	“Are you okay my love?”<br/>	“Yeah…I think so.”<br/>	“You’re probably going to have to tell them all what happened.”<br/>	“Yeah, that’s what Gramma said.”<br/>	“I’ll be right there with you, and Grampa Clay, Uncle Piney, Uncle Opie, and Jax will all be there.”<br/>	“Why isn’t Jax ‘Uncle Jax’? I never really realized it before, but it’s weird.”<br/>	“He didn’t want to be. I don’t know, kiddo. He never explained it to me.”<br/>	“Strange. I’ll have to ask him.”<br/>Her face lights up at something behind me and when I turn around I see Opie standing there. I wave my hand at his beard and say:<br/>	“So while you were in prison you decided to go full Sasquatch, huh?”<br/>	“Yup. Just so you could judge me, Katy. Give me a hug…brat.”</p>
<p>I wrap my arms around his waist and realize, yet again, how short I am next to him. At 5’7”, I am not a short woman, but Opie is 6’4” and feels taller. He quietly says:<br/>	“Jax says you knew all along who your rapist was.”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“It was Kyle?”<br/>	“Yeah. Ope…it doesn’t matter anymore.”<br/>	“Are you sure? Because I’d still be happy to kill him.”<br/>	“Yeah. I’m sure.”<br/>I let go of him and he hugs Belle, being extremely gentle with her until Clay says:<br/>	“Chapel. All of you. Now.”</p>
<p>The guys all start walking into a room with impressive double doors and Clay says:<br/>	“Kathryn, Annabelle…You too.”<br/>We follow the guys into the room and Belle sits in a chair that’s been pulled up to the table between Piney and Opie. There aren’t any other chairs so I move to stand on the other side of Piney, but Juice pulls me down onto his lap and says:<br/>	“Sit here.”<br/>	“Subtle, Juice.”<br/>Opie looks at us and grumbles:<br/>	“So much for ‘I will never be a crow-eater. I want more out of life than that damn club’.”<br/>	“Opie…I was 17 when I said that, and I meant it. I still have no intention of being a crow-eater.”<br/>	“Yeah? Does Juice know that?”<br/>Juice says:<br/>	“Yeah. I do. I’m not aiming for crow-eater, Ope. I’m aiming for old lady. Can we focus on the topic at hand now though?”</p>
<p>Clay says:<br/>	“Jax, you brought this to us, so why don’t you explain?”<br/>Jax clears his throat and says:<br/>	“Last night, a 15-year-old member of our family…Ope’s niece, Piney’s niece, Clay’s granddaughter…she was beaten and raped by Charming High football players. They didn’t leave any physical evidence, so it’s her word against theirs. Even Hale — her godfather — agrees that it would be best if we handle it. Belle, sweetheart, can you walk us through what happened?”</p>
<p>Belle puts her hands on the table to steady herself, but then she starts crying. Opie takes one hand and Piney takes the other and I look at Belle and say:<br/>	“Annabelle, look at me.”<br/>She lifts her head and says:<br/>	“Yes, Mama?”<br/>	“Channel Gramma, sweetheart. No-one does badass bitch better than Gemma Teller-Morrow, and that’s what you need right now.”<br/>She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment, and when she opens them the tears are gone and she’s composed and ready to speak.<br/>Juice barely whispers:<br/>	“Wow…neat trick.”<br/>	“We both have practice. Now, shut up dear.”<br/>Belle tells the table what she told me last night, but also includes details about the boys. As she talks, Juice’s arms tighten around me until I interlace our fingers… which seems to relax him a bit.</p>
<p>When Belle’s done talking, Clay says:<br/>	“We need to vote. Girls, can you wait in the clubhouse with Half-Sack?”<br/>	“Yup.”<br/>Belle and I both get up and leave the room, closing the door behind us. We sit down on the couch, curled together, and she says:<br/>	“Mama…honestly, please. Why doesn’t Jax refer to me as his niece?”<br/>	“Because he knows there is a possibility you are his daughter. We were dating before my rape. He broke up with me after he and Opie found me…Like, the same night. He started dating Tara a week later.”<br/>	“Is he my father?”<br/>	“I haven’t done a DNA test, but most likely…yes. You remember that heart surgery you had when you were 6? You had to stay in the hospital for almost a month…That was because of a genetic heart defect. Jax was born with it, his little brother Thomas died because of it, Gramma Gemma has it, her brother died because of it, her mom has it…”<br/>Jax walks up and says:<br/>	“My son Abel has it too.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“Can we do a paternity test?”<br/>Jax says:<br/>	“No.”<br/>Belle starts crying and says:<br/>	“Why not?”<br/>I run my hand over her hair and whisper:<br/>	“Shh. Annabelle, do not cause a scene…not here. You understand me?”<br/>	“Yes, Mama.”<br/>I look at Jax and say:<br/>	“Can Belle and I go home? Are we needed here?”<br/>	“You can go. You don’t want to know the results of the vote?”<br/>	“No.”<br/>I stand up and pull Belle with me, walking out of the clubhouse and heading to the car. Once we’re in the car, she starts crying again and says:<br/>	“Why doesn’t he want me?”<br/>	“Because he’s a fucking moron. You don’t need him, baby.”<br/>	“I know…I just don’t understand.”<br/>	“Do you want to go home or do you want to go see Abuelito?”<br/>	“Can Abuelito come to the house? I don’t want to see Uncle Esai.”<br/>	“Yeah, I don’t blame you there, kid. Go ahead and call Abuelito.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I drive home as Belle talks to her grandfather. When we pull into the driveway, she hangs up and says:<br/>	“He’s on his way.”<br/>We go inside and I open the back door for Beastie before starting to make lunch while we wait for Mark’s father to arrive.</p>
<p>When there’s a knock on the door, I answer it and find Juice on the front porch.<br/>	“You can’t be here right now.”<br/>	“Why?”<br/>	“Belle was upset. She wanted to see her grandfather. He’s on his way. You can’t be here while he is.”<br/>	“Why?”<br/>	“You never asked my last name.”<br/>	“Okay. What’s your last name?”<br/>	“Alvarez. My husband Mark was Marcus Alvarez’s oldest son.”<br/>	“You married a Mayan?!”<br/>	“I married a man whose father and brother are Mayans. Mark was never part of the club. He wanted nothing to do with it. He wanted to be a cop. That’s why we moved to Boise. No Sons, no Mayans…We could just be us.”<br/>	“So you moved to Boise when Belle was 2, but you didn’t marry him until she was 7…why?”<br/>	“We were just friends when we moved. I wanted out of Charming, he wanted away from his family, we decided to flee together.”<br/>Before he can say anything else, Marcus pulls into the driveway.<br/>	“Juice, love. You need to leave. Come over tonight, okay?”<br/>	“Yeah. Okay.”<br/>I pull him to me and kiss him gently before pushing him back off of the porch.</p>
<p>Marcus walks up and says:<br/>	“Kat…You can’t be a SAMCRO old lady.”<br/>	“Marcus…You don’t get to tell me who I can date.”<br/>	“Mayans and SAMCRO are not at war right now, but we’re close, chiquita. You have to choose sides.”<br/>	“Gemma and Clay practically raised me. Opie is one of my best friends in the world. Piney is like an uncle to me. Jax…Jax is most likely Belle’s biological father. And I really like Juice. I cannot choose you over them any more than I could choose them over you. Now, come inside and visit with your granddaughter.”</p>
<p>He walks past me into the house and then turns around and says:<br/>	“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll hang out with Belle. Go see Juice.”<br/>	“You sure?”<br/>	“Yes. Go.”<br/>He hands me my purse and closes the door in my face. I laugh and turn around to leave. When I get to the clubhouse, Juice’s bike isn’t here, so I walk in to see who is here. Kip is sitting at the bar with Jax, so I walk over and say:<br/>	“Is Juice working or just not here?”<br/>Jax says:<br/>	“Last I heard he was going to your place.”<br/>	“I made him leave. Belle needed her grandfather. Figured SAMCRO/Mayan relations aren’t at the ‘sit down and have a beer’ level.”<br/>	“He can’t be in Charming, Katy.”<br/>	“He is my father-in-law and Belle’s grandfather. She had a traumatic night last night and earlier you made her feel unwanted and unloved. She needed her Abuelito. You don’t get to tell me that he can’t come to visit her.”<br/>	“Kathryn…”<br/>	“Jackson.”<br/>He sighs and says:<br/>	“Fine. Minimize visits here, okay?”<br/>	“Normally we go to Oakland, but Esai freaks her out and she didn’t want to see him today.”</p>
<p>Kips says:<br/>	“Um…Who exactly is your father-in-law?”<br/>	“Marcus Alvarez.”<br/>	“Oh…Shit.”<br/>	“He’s not the fucking boogeyman, Kip. He’s actually a really nice guy.”</p>
<p>Jax bitterly laughs and says:<br/>	“Sure, when he’s not trying to kill us.”<br/>	“You say that like you don’t do anything that would cause him to try to kill you.”<br/>	“We don’t.”<br/>	“Don’t pull that shit with me. I am fully aware of what SAMCRO is.”</p>
<p>I look at Kip and say:<br/>	“You know where Juice lives?”<br/>A voice behind me says:<br/>	“Yeah, he does.”<br/>I grin and turn around before walking over to him and kissing him.<br/>	“You want to go for that ride now?”<br/>	“Your father-in-law didn’t stay long.”<br/>	“He’s still at the house. Told me my presence wasn’t required and to come to find you.”<br/>	“Well, that was nice of him.”<br/>	“He has his moments. So…that ride?”<br/>	“Yeah, let’s go.”<br/>He wraps his arm around my shoulders and we walk out of the clubhouse. When we get to his bike, he moves his arm off of my shoulders as he says:<br/>	“So, are we just going for a ride, or do you have a destination in mind?”<br/>I wrap my arms around his neck and press my lips to his ear before whispering:<br/>	“Take me to your place. I want you inside of me.”<br/>He growls and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against himself.<br/>	“Yes, please.”<br/>	“Well, then…let’s go. What are you waiting for, buddy?”</p>
<p>As we’re getting on the bike, Clay pulls in and says:<br/>	“Juice. We need you.”<br/>I tilt my head back and say:<br/>	“Seriously?! What do people have against me getting laid?”<br/>Clay laughs and says:<br/>	“Poor baby.”<br/>	“I hate you.”<br/>	“Yup…I believe you.”<br/>Clay starts walking away and says:<br/>	“Two minutes, Juice, or we’re putting you back in the diaper.”<br/>I start laughing and say:<br/>	“I’m going to need you to tell me that story, babe.”<br/>	“When I eventually get to see you again, I will.”<br/>I dig through my purse and pull out a key before handing it to him.<br/>	“Come over whenever you’re done tonight.”<br/>	“You sure?”<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>I kiss him and say:<br/>	“Get inside before Clay sends a search party after you.”<br/>	“Yes, ma’am.”</p>
<p>I leave Teller-Morrow and drive to the hospital…I just want to see Abel, but I end up running into Tara in the hall.<br/>	“Hey, Katy. What are you doing here?”<br/>	“I just wanted to see Abel. I know I’m not family, so I’ll just look through the window.”<br/>	“No. Go on in. Gemma practically raised you. That makes you Abel’s aunt…right?”<br/>	“I guess?”</p>
<p>I start to walk away, but stop and turn around.<br/>	“Hey, Tara?”<br/>	“Yeah?”<br/>	“Is it possible to do a DNA test on two children to see if they share a parent?”<br/>	“Yeah. You’d need parental approval from at least one parent for each kid though.”<br/>	“What room is Abel’s mom in?”<br/>	“You think Jax is Belle’s dad?”<br/>	“Belle has the genetic heart defect…the family flaw as Gemma calls it. Jax refuses to let me do a paternity test.”<br/>	“She’s in 312. I’ll get the paperwork and meet you there.”<br/>	“Thanks.”</p>
<p>I find room 312 and knock on the door before going in. A blonde woman is sitting in the bed looking miserable.<br/>	“Hi. Wendy, right?”<br/>	“That’s me. Who are you?”<br/>	“Kathryn…Kat. I grew up with Jax, Opie, and Tara.”<br/>	“You’re the one Jax dated before Tara. The one with the teenage daughter.”<br/>	“That’s me.”<br/>	“Why are you here?”<br/>	“I need your help.”<br/>	“Well, this should be good.”<br/>	“My daughter Annabelle was born with the same heart defect that Abel was. The family curse as Gemma calls it. Jax won’t acknowledge that she might be his daughter and won’t let us do a paternity test. I don’t want anything from him. Belle just wants to know who her dad is. I was hoping I could get you to sign the consent form to have a DNA test done on Abel so we could compare it to Belle’s to see if they share a father.”<br/>	“Yeah. Of course.”<br/>	“Really? That easy?”<br/>	“She deserves answers.”<br/>	“Thank you, Wendy.”</p>
<p>Tara walks in then with paperwork and says:<br/>	“So? Are we signing papers?”<br/>	“Yes. Wendy is willing to give consent.”<br/>	“Excellent. I need you both to sign these forms. Katy, I already have some of Belle’s blood down in the lab, so I don’t need to draw more. Wendy, same deal with Abel, so once the forms are signed, I’ll get the lab to run the comparison. Should only take a few hours.”</p>
<p>Wendy and I both sign the forms and hand them to Tara. When she leaves the room I say:<br/>	“Are you hungry? I just realized I didn’t eat lunch, so I’m going to brave the cafeteria. If you’re hungry I can bring you something.”<br/>	“I’d love a salad? The food they bring me is seriously lacking cold vegetables.”<br/>	“I can do that. I’ll be back in a little bit.”</p>
<p>When I get back to Wendy’s room from the cafeteria, Jax is there with her. I hold up the salad and say:<br/>	“Here you go, Wendy.”<br/>	“Spinach salad? Yum. Thanks, Kat.”<br/>	“You’re welcome. Guess you don’t need company.”</p>
<p>Jax says:<br/>	“Guess not. I don’t want you spending time with her.”<br/>	“Since when do you have the right to tell me who I can spend time with?”<br/>	“Kathryn…”<br/>	“Ugh. I am so sick of hearing you say my name that way. Wendy, enjoy your salad. I’ll come by and see you later.”<br/>Wendy says:<br/>	“Okay.” </p>
<p>I leave the room and walk down the hall to the chapel. I sit in one of the pews and eat my lunch in silence. When I’m done, I head to the room Abel is in and look in the window to see if anyone is there. Since no-one is, I head inside, sitting in the rocking chair next to his incubator. I start reciting the story of Beauty and the Beast, it was Belle’s favourite when she was little, so I know it by heart.</p>
<p>I’m about halfway through the story when Jax walks in and leans against the window.<br/>	“I’ll go.”<br/>	“No. Katy…I’m sorry.”<br/>	“For what?”<br/>	“For trying to keep you separate from my life now.”<br/>	“Why are you trying to do that?”<br/>	“Because I fucked up.”<br/>	“Explain.”<br/>	“I never should have broken up with you.”<br/>	“Oh…that’s bullshit.”<br/>I stand up and walk towards the door. When I put my hand on the door handle, he says:<br/>	“She is mine. We don’t need to do a paternity test. I can tell just by looking at her. I’m sorry, Katy. I’m sorry I left you to raise her alone.”<br/>	“It’s not me who needs an apology, Jax. You broke her heart today. She cried the whole way home. ‘Why doesn’t he want me, Mama? What’s wrong with me?’ Six months ago she watched the only father she has ever had be shot in the face and bleed to death on the side of the road. Last night she was held down and raped, and today, her biological father flat-out refused to confirm that he’s her father.”<br/>	“I’m sorry, Katy.”<br/>He grabs me and kisses me. I push him away and say:<br/>	“Have you lost your damn mind? You can’t fix everything with sex, Jackson!”<br/>	“It always used to work with you.”<br/>	“I was a teenager, you moron! And we were dating. Things are slightly different now.”<br/>	“They don’t have to be. We do share a child.”<br/>	“Ugh. I can’t even with you. Get away from me.”<br/>He steps back and I open the door and leave the room. I walk down to the chapel and stay there for the next hour or so. I’m walking down the hallway towards Wendy’s room when Tara approaches me.<br/>	“I have the results.”<br/>	“And?”<br/>	“Belle and Abel are siblings.”<br/>	“That’s what I figured. Thanks, Tara.”<br/>I give her a quick hug and head to Wendy’s room. She’s sleeping, so I turn around and head to the elevator.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When I get home, I find Belle curled up on the couch with Beastie. I lift up her feet and sit down, putting her feet down on my lap.<br/>	“How was your visit with Abuelito?”<br/>	“It was nice. Thanks, Mama.”<br/>	“So, I did a thing.”<br/>	“What?”<br/>	“I got a DNA test done on you and Abel.”<br/>	“And?”<br/>	“Jax is your biological father.”<br/>	“So I have a little brother?”<br/>	“Yup.”<br/>	“Does Jax know?”<br/>	“That I did the test? No. That you are his daughter? Yes. He told me as much. Said he knew just by looking at you.”<br/>	“I wish he wasn’t my father.”<br/>	“I know, baby. What can I do?”<br/>	“Nothing…Except, you aren’t going to get back together with him, are you?”<br/>	“Hell no. Sweetheart, he broke up with me an hour after I was raped. The reason he gave? He couldn’t be with someone who had been sullied that way.”<br/>	“Ugh. What an asshole.”<br/>	“Right? Besides, Juice is…wonderful.”<br/>	“Yeah, he is. He’s in your room, by the way. He got here about an hour ago. We talked for a while, then he went to shower and change. I guess they had a strange day.”<br/>	“You good on your own while I talk to him?”<br/>	“Of course. Want me to order something for dinner?”<br/>	“How about you make something for dinner instead?”<br/>	“Something healthy?”<br/>	“Preferably.”<br/>	“Okay. I’ll work on it.”<br/>	“Good girl.”<br/>	“Is Aunty Jess going to be here for dinner?”<br/>	“I don’t know, love. Text her.”<br/>	“Okay.”</p>
<p>I walk down the hall and open my bedroom door. Juice is lying on my bed watching TV wearing a pair of sweatpants and no shirt.<br/>	“Well, you look cozy.” <br/>	“I am. Come here.”<br/>I take off my shoes and walk over to the bed, climbing over to him and curling up against him with my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me and I feel…secure and safe for the first time since Mark died. I sigh and Juice says:<br/>	“What’s wrong, Kat?”<br/>	“Absolutely nothing. This feels really nice.”<br/>	“Yeah. It does.”<br/>	“I like that you feel comfortable enough here already that you brought a change of clothes and you showered when you got here.”<br/>	“I smelled like decomp. A shower and change of clothes were required.”<br/>	“Do I even want to know?”<br/>	“Probably not.”<br/>	“We are going to have to talk about disclosure. I can’t live in the dark.”<br/>	“I’ll tell you anything you want.”<br/>	“Nothing right now. Let’s just enjoy this until Belle has dinner ready.”<br/>	“One thing I have to disclose…”<br/>	“Okay, spill.”<br/>	“I didn’t just bring a change of clothes. I brought a whole bag.”<br/>I smile against his chest and say:<br/>	“Really? That’s a little presumptuous.”<br/>	“I don’t think so. You gave me a key. Figured you wouldn’t mind sharing a drawer.”<br/>	“I didn’t give you the key to keep…It was just supposed to be for today.”<br/>	“…Oh.”<br/>I lift my head and I look at him, smirking.<br/>	“Oh. I see. You’re just teasing me.”<br/>	“Yup. It’s your key. The bottom drawer of the dresser is empty and there’s space in the closet too.”<br/>	“Thanks.”</p>
<p>There’s a knock on the door as I get comfortable again, so I say:<br/>	“Come in.”<br/>Belle opens the door and smiles at us before saying:<br/>	“Dinner’s ready…and Jax just showed up.”<br/>I roll my eyes and say:<br/>	“Ugh. We’ll be right there.”</p>
<p>I get up and Juice says:<br/>	“Should I put a shirt on?”<br/>	“Probably. I think it’s considered rude to eat dinner without a shirt.”<br/>	“Just dinner? So I could eat breakfast or lunch without a shirt without offending your delicate sensibilities?”<br/>	“Oh, fuck it. I don’t care what anyone thinks. Come to dinner shirtless.”<br/>	“That’s my girl.”<br/>We walk out of the bedroom and find Belle and Jax sitting on the couch. <br/>	“Why are you here?”<br/>	“I need to talk to you. You kind of fled earlier.”<br/>	“I left because you were being unreasonable.”<br/>	“How is apologizing for breaking up with you unreasonable?”<br/>	“That’s not what you were doing and you know it.”<br/>	“Kathryn…”<br/>	“Jackson. You broke up with me an hour after I was raped saying you couldn’t be with someone who had been sullied that way. You started dating Tara a week later. When you found out I was pregnant, you adamantly declared that the baby was not yours and you wanted nothing to do with it. You left me to raise her by myself. You didn’t care when I had to drop out of high school to take care of her. You didn’t care when I took her to another state. You never visited, you never called…”<br/>	“I know. I’m sorry.”<br/>	“Then today you pull this crap of ‘I’m sorry. I never should have broken up with you. Yes, she’s my daughter. I knew as soon as I saw her. I’m sorry I left you to raise her alone. Things don’t have to be different from high school. We share a child’…blah, blah, blah.”<br/>	“I meant everything I said.”<br/>	“Ugh. No, you didn’t. You’re just doing your stupid ‘this woman is upset, clearly my cock will make it better’ bullshit. That’s why you said everything you said. That’s why you kissed me. I don’t want you, you don’t actually want me. If you want to be some kind of father to Belle, fine. It’s up to her how she feels about that.”<br/>	“Kathryn, I love you.”<br/>	“And I love you, idiot. We grew up together. We share a child. But I don’t want to be with you. I want to be with Juice. And honestly, even if Juice wasn’t in the picture, I wouldn’t want to be with you.”<br/>	“That’s a little harsh, Katy.”<br/>	“No, Jax. It’s honest. I loved you when we were teenagers. I would have stayed with you forever if given the chance. But that’s not how things went, and I don’t feel like that about you anymore.”<br/>	“You’re sure?”<br/>	“Yes, moron. I’m sure.”<br/>He seems to breathe a sigh of relief before he says:<br/>	“Okay. Good.”</p>
<p>I shake my head and look at Juice. He holds out his hand and when I take it, he pulls me towards himself, putting his other hand on my cheek. He leans in and rests his forehead on mine before saying:<br/>	“I want to be with you too. Just, you know, for the record.”</p>
<p>Belle says:<br/>	“Can we eat dinner now?”<br/>Juice and I both laugh and say:<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“Jax…do you want to stay for dinner?”<br/>	“Yeah. That’d be good. Thanks, Belle.”<br/>He takes her hand in his and says:<br/>	“You can call me Dad, you know.”<br/>	“I had a Dad. I don’t know how I feel about you right now. I think I’ll stick with calling you Jax.”<br/>	“Okay. It’s entirely up to you, sweetheart.”</p>
<p>As we all walk into the kitchen to have dinner, I say:<br/>	“What did you make, love?”<br/>	“Cabbage rolls.”<br/>	“So you took the cabbage rolls that I made weeks ago out of the freezer, reheated them, and are now claiming them as your own?”<br/>She grins at me and says:<br/>	“Yup.”<br/>	“Learning from the Daddy school of cooking, huh?”<br/>	“Hey…if it works, don’t knock it.”<br/>	“You’re right, he always got away with it, why wouldn’t you?”<br/>	“Exactly. I heated up some corn too.”<br/>	“Ooh…Aah.”</p>
<p>We sit down and Juice says:<br/>	“Mark didn’t cook?”<br/>	“Mark could cook…he just really enjoyed reheating already prepared meals and claiming that he cooked.”<br/>	“That’s my specialty too.”<br/>	“Ugh. Men.”<br/>He leans over and kisses me before saying:<br/>	“You love us.”<br/>	“Hmmm. If you say so.”<br/>The four of us eat dinner, chatting and talking easily. When we’re done, Jax says:<br/>	“Belle, I have to go tell Gramma and Grampa that they are actually your grandparents. Do you want to come with me?”<br/>	“Yeah. I’d like to meet Abel too…Can we go to the hospital too?”<br/>	“Of course.”<br/>Belle looks at me and says:<br/>	“Can I go?”<br/>	“Yeah. Of course. You want to spend the night at Jax’s too?”<br/>	“No. I will be home later. It’s not like I’ve never heard you having sex before, Mama. Just…always with Daddy. I’ll put my headphones in if it’s a problem. Just like I do when Aunty Jess brings Chibs home.”<br/>	“Valid point.”<br/>	“I’ll just clean up before I go.”<br/>	“No, go. Juice and I are perfectly capable of cleaning up the kitchen.”<br/>	“Thanks, Mama.”<br/>She stands up and kisses my cheek before kissing Juice’s cheek and going to collect her things. When she leaves the room, Jax gestures at the two of us and says:<br/>	“So this is happening?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Juice, were you serious about the old lady thing?”<br/>Juice nods and says:<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>Jax takes a deep breath and says:<br/>	“Okay…but remember, Katy is family. Don’t fuck it up.”<br/>	“Wasn’t planning on it.”<br/>I shake my head and say:<br/>	“Jackson, I don’t need you to get involved in my relationship. Thank you.”<br/>	“You are the mother of my child.”<br/>	“The mother of your youngest child needs your attention right now, not me. She’s still detoxing and she feels guilty for what Abel is going through. If you want to protect someone, Wendy is who you need to focus on. Not me. I’m fine.”<br/>	“I am not going to try to make that junkie whore feel better.”<br/>	“Way to channel Gemma. Listen to me…Wendy is your wife. She is the mother of your child. I know she fucked up. She knows she fucked up. But Jax…she’s an addict and you left her alone while she was pregnant. At least when you abandoned me I had Gemma, Clay, Opie, Piney, Jess, and David. Wendy had no-one. Of course she broke and started using again.”<br/>	“So you’re saying it’s my fault.”<br/>	“No, Jax. I’m saying you were a contributing factor. You need to acknowledge that with her.”<br/>	“Yeah. I guess you’re right.”<br/>	“I usually am.”<br/>	“I had forgotten how infuriating you are.”<br/>I shrug and say:<br/>	“Deal with it. Go away.”<br/>Jax stands up from the table and leaves the house with Belle. </p>
<p>After I quickly clean the kitchen, I take Juice’s hand and lead him into my room, closing the door behind us. I put my hands on his neck and say:<br/>	“We’re not answering the door and we’re not answering our phones.”<br/>	“Sick of getting interrupted, huh?”<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>I step back from him and quickly take my clothes off. As his eyes roam across my body I say:<br/>	“Yes, I have more scars you haven’t seen before. No, I don’t mind talking about them, but not until after.”<br/>	“Yes, ma’am.”<br/>	“Take your pants off.”<br/>	“You are very bossy.”<br/>	“Juice…”<br/>He smirks and takes his pants off. I lick my lips and step towards him, pressing my body against his as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. As we kiss I push him back towards the bed. When his legs hit the bed, I let go of him and shove him onto it. <br/>	“Lie down.”<br/>	“So bossy.”<br/>	“You like it. Lie down.”<br/>He reaches out and grabs my thigh, running his fingers along my core.<br/>	“What are you doing?”<br/>	“Making sure you’re good.”<br/>	“I am.”<br/>	“I can feel that.”<br/>I step away from him and open my bedside table to get a condom. Once he’s lying down I climb onto the bed over him. I put the condom on him and lean down to kiss him as I lower myself onto him. I moan as he bottoms out and then he sits up, wrapping his arms around me as we slowly move together. </p>
<p>I am gasping against his mouth when there’s a knock on the door and Chibs says:<br/>	“Juicy boy. We gotta go.”<br/>Juice moves away from my mouth and says:<br/>	“I need two minutes.”<br/>	“Fine. I’ll wait for you outside.”<br/>Juice flips us and lifts one of my legs to his shoulder, speeding up his thrusts. 	</p>
<p>When we both finish, he kisses me and says:<br/>	“I’m sorry, baby. I have to go.”<br/>	“Yeah. I got that. Go. I’ll be here when you get back.”<br/>He kisses me again and gets up to get dressed before leaving the room. Once he’s gone, I get up and shower before putting on pyjamas and going out to the living room to curl up on the couch with Beastie. </p>
<p>When Belle gets back, Tara walks in with her.<br/>	“Hey, Tara.”<br/>	“Hey. Jax had to leave while they were at the hospital, so I offered to bring Belle home.”<br/>	“Thanks. Did he tell you where they were going? Chibs and Juice left too.”<br/>	“Nope.”<br/>	“Ugh…”<br/>She flops down on the couch next to me and says:<br/>	“Neither of us wanted to be crow-eaters or old ladies. How the hell did we end up here?”<br/>	“No fucking clue man. The last year has just seemed like the universe pushing me to come home. Even before Mark died, he was talking about moving back here, working with David when Unser retires. When he died, I knew he’d want Belle and me to be back here with our family. For six months I successfully avoided the club, except for Clay and Gemma, but then I let Jess talk me into going to a party and…”<br/>	“And you met Juice and were instantly attracted to him?”<br/>	“No, actually. I thought he was a dick. But he wouldn’t let me walk home, and on the ride…”<br/>	“What, Katy?”<br/>	“This is going to sound crazy, but, it felt like Mark was pushing me to give him a chance.”<br/>	“I get that. Mark always wanted what was best for you…Even when we were high school students and he was the 20-something-year-old cashier at the convenience store. That’s why he invited you to move with him…so he could take care of you and Belle.”<br/>	“You think Juice is what is best for me?”<br/>Belle and Tara both say:<br/>	“Yes. He’s great.”<br/>	“Wow…okay then. Tara, why are you back here?”<br/>She takes a deep breath and says:<br/>	“I was dating a guy in Chicago. Things went bad and he started stalking me. I got a restraining order, but he didn’t seem to care, so I came home.”<br/>	“Do you think he’ll follow you?”<br/>	“I don’t know. He scares me, Katy.”<br/>I wrap my arms around her and say:<br/>	“You need to tell David and Jax.”<br/>	“I will tell David. I don’t want Jax involved.”<br/>	“Okay.”</p>
<p>We all sit quietly for a moment and then Belle says:<br/>	“Gramma said we are expected at family dinner tomorrow. She wants us to bring dessert. She said to be there for 8:00.”<br/>	“Of course she did. Is it just our family, or the whole club and everything?”<br/>	“Whole club and everything.”<br/>	“This should be fun.”<br/>	“Mama says sarcastically.”<br/>	“I love your Gramma…She’s just…a little much sometimes.”<br/>Tara scoffs and says:<br/>	“A little?! Sometimes?!”<br/>	“Be quiet you, or I’ll bring you to family dinner.”<br/>	“I am not fucking a club member, nor do I have a child with a club member. Leave me out of this.”<br/>	“Hey, watch your damn language in front of your future step-daughter.”<br/>	“Oh, go fuck yourself, Katy. I am not getting back together with him. That’s not why I’m here.”<br/>	“Sure. Whatever you say.”<br/>	“I’m serious.”<br/>	“Uh-huh. I believe you.”<br/>	“I had forgotten how much I hate you.”<br/>	“You love me. And you love him. You’re just afraid of being involved with the club.”<br/>	“Ugh. I’m going home.”<br/>	“Okay. Love you.”<br/>	“Yeah…I love you too. Asshole.”</p>
<p>Once she leaves, Belle and I snuggle into each other, and I say:<br/>	“How are you, sweetheart? You’ve had an eventful few days.”<br/>	“I’m actually okay. Being out with Jax earlier was nice.”<br/>	“Good. He does seem to want to be a father…of sorts. It’s completely up to you how much you let him in, okay?”<br/>	“Okay. I think I’m going to go to bed.”<br/>	“Okay, I’m going to go get some work done since apparently, I’ll be making pies all day tomorrow. Take Beastie out before you go. Alright?”<br/>	“Yup. Can I lock the front door?”<br/>	“Yeah. Juice has a key.”<br/>	“I really do like him, Mama. Daddy would too.”<br/>	“He reminds me a bit of your Daddy.”<br/>	“Their personalities are pretty similar, yeah…They kind of look alike too. Daddy was obviously older, was skinnier, and had hair, but the basics are very similar.”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>I kiss the top of her head and go into my room to finish editing the chapter I’m working on.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At some point in the middle of the night, I’m woken up when Juice climbs into bed next to me and pulls me into his arms. I smile as I snuggle closer to him and whisper:<br/>	“You’re back.”<br/>	“Yup. Go back to sleep baby.”<br/>	“What did you have to go do?”<br/>	“You sure you want to know?”<br/>	“I want to know everything.”<br/>	“Earlier today we had to obtain two bodies to stage a murder in Lodi. One was still at the funeral home, but Half-Sack had to dig up the other one. Do you want me to continue?”<br/>	“Yup.”<br/>	“Tonight we took them to Lodi and staged a double murder.”<br/>	“I feel like you are glossing over important details.”<br/>	“It’s late Kat.”<br/>	“Do you have to work tomorrow?”<br/>	“Nothing’s planned, but that doesn’t really mean anything. Gemma’s having family dinner tomorrow night though.”<br/>	“Oh, I know. I’ve been tasked with bringing dessert.”<br/>	“You’re coming?”<br/>	“Uh…Jax and I share a kid…remember?”<br/>	“Right…yeah. They actually are legitimately your family.”<br/>	“Unfortunately.”<br/>	“Why is that unfortunate, babe?”</p>
<p>I shake my head and don’t say anything.<br/>	“Talk to me, Kathryn.”<br/>	“It’s late Juice. Just go to sleep.”<br/>	“Kat…what’s wrong?”<br/>	“Nothing.”<br/>	“Liar.”<br/>	“I can’t explain it. I know Belle knowing who her father really is…it’s the best thing for her. But…”<br/>	“But being that connected to the club terrifies you?”<br/>	“I’m not scared, Juice.”<br/>	“Then what is it?”<br/>	“I don’t know how to explain how I’m feeling without hurting you.”<br/>	“Try.”<br/>I take a deep breath and say:<br/>	“I never wanted to be involved with the club. I left town because I didn’t want to end up as a crow-eater or an old lady. I wanted more…For me…For Belle. I didn’t want her growing up scared that she was never going to see the people she loved again. I grew up very attached to JT…When he died, it destroyed me. I mean, I had Piney and Clay still, but JT…he was the Dad my dad never was. I didn’t want Belle to go through that. Then she did with Mark anyway. I just feel like bringing her back to Charming and letting her get more attached to club members is throwing her to the wolves…emotionally speaking.”	</p>
<p>He tightens his arms around me and says:<br/>	“Belle is a tough girl. She can handle anything being near this club throws at her, you know that. As for you…Do you still feel that way about being an old lady?”<br/>	“No.”<br/>	“Why not?”<br/>	“Aren’t you tired? We should go to sleep.”<br/>	“Oh, you’re not getting out of this that easily. Why are you okay with being an old lady now?”<br/>	“You’re going to think I’m crazy.”<br/>	“We crossed that bridge a while ago, Kat.”<br/>I smack his chest and say:<br/>	“Oh, shut up.”<br/>	“Come on, love. What changed your mind?”<br/>	“I’ve been on motorcycles my whole life…First JT, Clay, and Piney’s, then Jax, Opie, and Mark’s. I’ve never felt off-balance like I did last night. It’s like something was pushing me to be closer to you. Then you took your hand off the handlebars and squeezed my hand…that’s what Mark always used to do when we went for rides. Then when we got back here, I was going to come inside alone. I wasn’t going to invite you in, but I heard Mark whisper in my ear: ‘Dale una oportunidad, mi amor. Es un buen tipo y los amará a ti y a Belle’, so I turned around and invited you in.”<br/>	“What did he say?”<br/>	“You don’t speak Spanish?”<br/>	“I’m a Puerto Rican from Queens. I speak more Yiddish than Spanish.”<br/>	“He said: ‘Give it a try, my love. He's a good guy and he will love you and Belle’.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t say anything, and for a moment I think I’ve scared him off with my crazy and he’s just trying to figure out how to escape…But then he puts his hand on my chin and tilts my head up so I’m looking at him. <br/>	“What, Juice?”<br/>He leans towards me and kisses me before saying:<br/>	“I don’t think you’re crazy, love.”<br/>	“Yeah, right.”<br/>	“I’m right here, Kat. I’m not going anywhere. Stop worrying I’m going to flee the house as soon as you fall asleep.”<br/>	“How did you know that’s what I was thinking?”<br/>	“I can practically see the wheels turning in your head. Go to sleep.”<br/>I do fall asleep pretty quickly after that, not waking up again until my bedroom is bright and sunny. </p>
<p>He’s not in bed when I wake up, but I hear voices coming from the kitchen. When I walk out there Jess, Belle, and Juice are sitting at the table and Chibs is making pancakes. As I step into the kitchen, Chibs hands me a cup of coffee.<br/>	“You might be my favourite, Chibs.”<br/>I walk over to the table and say:<br/>	“We clearly need more chairs.”<br/>Juice gently pulls me onto his lap and says:<br/>	“I think you have just enough chairs.”<br/>I relax back into him and say:<br/>	“Jess, are you working today?”<br/>	“Yup. You’re baking today right?”<br/>	“Yeah, Gemma demanded I bring dessert to family dinner. Are you coming?”<br/>	“No…Actually, let me rephrase…Hell no.”<br/>	“Jess, you’re a crow-eater. Crow-eaters always go.”<br/>	“Yeah, not me.”<br/>	“Fine, stay home alone then.”<br/>	“I will. It’ll be lovely.”<br/>	“What about you, Chibs? You have plans today?”<br/>	“Nope. I was thinking I would either hang out here or at the clubhouse.”<br/>	“Either is fine.”</p>
<p>After we eat breakfast, Jess leaves for work and Juice and Belle take Beastie for a walk, leaving me and Chibs to clean up the kitchen. When we’re done, I start making pie pastry and he sits at the table with the paper and a cigarette. Once all my pastry is in the fridge chilling, I go to shower and get dressed. When I come back out, Chibs says:<br/>	“What kind of pies are you making, darlin’?”<br/>	“Apple, rhubarb, and peach.”<br/>	“Do you need help?”<br/>	“Sure. I have rhubarb in the freezer. Can you take it out? One bag is enough for a pie.”<br/>Chibs and I work together, chatting about nothing until all the pies are in the oven. As we finish, Belle and Juice get back with Beastie.<br/>	“Wow, guys. Way to take just long enough walking the dog so you didn’t get roped into helping with the pies.”<br/>Juice grins and walks over to me before kissing my cheek and saying:<br/>	“That was the plan.”<br/>	“No shit. Really?”</p>
<p>I look at Belle and say:<br/>	“You’re on kitchen clean-up duty. When the timer goes off, the pies need to come out.”<br/>	“Yes, Mama.”<br/>	“Do you still have homework that needs to be done?”<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>	“Once the pies are out, get that done or you will not be going to family dinner.”<br/>	“Yes, Mama.”<br/>	“Good girl.”</p>
<p>Juice says:<br/>	“You mentioned Mark having a bike. Do you still have it?”<br/>	“It’s in the garage. You want to see it?”<br/>Juice and Chibs both say:<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>I walk over to the garage door and unlock it.<br/>	“Knock yourselves out. The light switch is just inside the door.”<br/>They walk into the garage and I hear Chibs say:<br/>	“Jesus Christ.”<br/>And Juice says:<br/>	“That’s a nice car.”<br/>	“And bike…Jesus. This guy was a cop?”<br/>	“His dad is Marcus Alvarez. I’m sure he learned something from him.”<br/>	“Your old lady is the daughter-in-law of the head of the fucking Mayans?! Have you lost your damn mind?”<br/>	“It’s a little strange, yeah, but yesterday he basically gave his blessing for her to date me when he sent her to find me. Maybe she’s right and he isn’t such a bad guy.”</p>
<p>There’s a knock on the front door and I tear myself away from Chibs’ and Juice’s conversation to answer it. Standing on the porch is Esai, Mark’s younger brother. <br/>	“Esai…What are you doing here?”<br/>	“I just wanted to visit with my sister and my niece. Can I come in?”<br/>	“No.”<br/>	“Why not, Katy-Kat?”<br/>	“Don’t call me that Esai.”<br/>	“Mark used to all the time.”<br/>	“Mark was my husband. You are his creepy little brother. There’s a difference, and you know it.”<br/>	“Oh, come on, Kat. Let me in.”<br/>	“No, Esai.”<br/>I see Juice and Chibs walking up behind Esai, both with their guns drawn. When Esai tries to force his way past me, Chibs puts his gun against Esai’s head and says:<br/>	“Kathryn said no, wetback.”<br/>	“I was born here you racist piece of shit.”<br/>	“The women in this house belong to SAMCRO. Kat is a SAMCRO old lady now. You will not come here unless they specifically invite you. Do you understand me?”</p>
<p>Esai looks at me and says:<br/>	“Does Pops know?”<br/>	“Yeah. He was here yesterday.”<br/>	“Please tell me you are not this Irish prick’s old lady.”<br/>	“He’s Scottish and no.”<br/>	“Which one? Not Jax…Please, not Jax. Mark would roll over in his grave.”<br/>	“It’s Juice.”<br/>	“He looks like Mark. Does he know that? Does he realize he’s just a shitty replacement?”<br/>	“God, you’re awful, Esai. I don’t even understand how you and Mark came from the same fucking family.”<br/>	“You didn’t answer the question.”<br/>	“They look somewhat alike. All that proves is that I have a type. He is not a replacement for Mark.”<br/>	“I don’t want these SAMCRO assholes near my niece.”<br/>	“Well, it’s nice that you have an opinion, but since Mark never actually got around to adopting Belle, your family actually has no legal right to make demands about her life.”<br/>	“Kat…”<br/>	“Esai, you need to leave.”<br/>	“Fine.”</p>
<p>After he leaves, Chibs walks back into the garage and Juice says:<br/>	“Can I see a picture of Mark?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>I take his hand as he walks up onto the porch and I lead him into my bedroom, pulling out a photo album before sitting on my bed next to him.<br/>	“This is from the last time Donna and the kids came to Boise. About three months before Mark died.”<br/>He flips through the pages and says:<br/>	“We do look a lot alike. He’s just got fewer tattoos and more hair. He’s skinnier too…Aside from that, we could be the same person.”<br/>	“Yeah. I’m not saying you don’t look alike, just…you aren’t a replacement for him.”<br/>	“I know, babe. Esai is an asshole.”<br/>	“Uh…yeah.”<br/>He kisses me and says:<br/>	“I’m going to go back out to the garage with Chibs.”<br/>	“Okay…Juice…”<br/>	“What, baby?”<br/>	“Are you okay?”<br/>	“Yeah. I’m good, Kat. You have a type, that’s all.”<br/>I put the photo album down and move so I’m straddling him. I run my hands over his head and put them on the back of his neck.<br/>	“Katy…I’m okay, I promise.”<br/>	“Knowing you look like him isn’t going to scare you away, right?”<br/>	“I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”<br/>I kiss him deeply before getting off of his lap and saying:<br/>	“Good.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rest of the day spent at home is relaxing. When the guys are done in the garage, they both come inside and sit on the couch with me to watch a movie while Belle does her homework. As Belle walks into the room after finishing her homework, Chibs says:<br/>	“Let’s go for a ride, ladies.”<br/>Belle and I look at each other and shrug before I say:<br/>	“Anywhere in particular, or just a random ride?”<br/>	“Random ride. We have time to kill before family dinner.”<br/>	“Okay. Belle, go grab our jackets.”<br/>Belle nods and leaves the room, quickly collecting our leather jackets from our rooms.	</p>
<p>We put Beastie in the backyard and lock the house before climbing onto the bikes behind the guys. I watch as Belle wraps her arms around Chibs and they drive off as Juice and I follow. I wrap my arms around him, rest my head on his shoulder, and relax into him as we drive.</p>
<p>A few hours later, we get home again and the guys drop us off. Belle and I go inside and pack up the pies before getting in the car and heading to Gemma’s. When we get there, Juice and Jax meet us outside and help carry the pies in. As the guys put the pies on the counter, Gemma walks up and kisses my cheek before saying:<br/>	“Why didn’t you tell me about the heart defect?”<br/>	“Because Jax was adamant that she wasn’t his. It’s not like I got much say in the matter. I didn’t want to rock the boat by bringing up the heart defect. The surgery corrected it. She’s fine.”<br/>	“I’m sorry, baby. We would have been there if we had known.”<br/>	“I know. It’s okay.”</p>
<p>Belle sits next to Jax at the table, and when he puts his arm across the back of her chair, Tig says:<br/>	“No flirting with the teenager, Jax.”<br/>	“Tig…She’s my daughter.”<br/>Everyone at the table stops and all the guys except for Juice, Chibs, and Clay say:<br/>	“Wait…What?”<br/>Opie looks at me and says:<br/>	“Why didn’t you tell me?”<br/>	“I just got it confirmed. He refused to acknowledge it. What the hell do you want from me?”<br/>Jax says:<br/>	“Leave her alone. I refused to do a paternity test. I ignored the fact that I had a daughter for 15 years. I sat back and let Katy drop out of high school to take care of my child. I let her leave…I was happy when she left…Even happier when she married Mark. It wasn’t my problem then. I could live my life without feeling guilty that I wasn’t taking care of my child. This is all on me. Katy just did the best she could with the hand she was dealt, and personally, I think she’s done a kickass job because Belle is pretty fucking awesome.”<br/>	“Once again, Jackson…I am not the baby mama that needs you in her corner right now.”<br/>	“I talked to Wendy earlier. I acknowledged my part in everything that went wrong with Abel.”<br/>	“Good. That’s a start.”</p>
<p>Tig says:<br/>	“If he refused to do a paternity test, how did you get it confirmed?”<br/>	“We did a DNA comparison on Belle and Abel. It showed that they are siblings.”<br/>	“How did you do that without Jax’s approval?”<br/>	“Only needed one parent to sign off. Wendy was more than happy to.”<br/>Jax shakes his head and says:<br/>	“That’s why you were with her…I should have known that the two of you were conspiring behind my back.”<br/>I clear my throat and say:<br/>	“Three…The three of us were conspiring behind your back. Tara helped.”<br/>	“Jesus Christ. The three of you are not allowed to be friends.”<br/>	“Yeah…Good luck enforcing that, buddy.”</p>
<p>The rest of the evening is pleasant and I begin to remember why I always felt so at home in this house. For all Gemma’s faults, she has always been an excellent mother, and that mothering instinct really extends to everyone at this table.</p>
<p>At the end of the night, Belle and I are getting in the car when Juice leans in my door and says:<br/>	“Am I coming to your place?”<br/>	“Why wouldn’t you?”<br/>	“I just thought you might want a break from me.”<br/>	“Nope.”<br/>He grins and says:<br/>	“Okay then…I’ll see you at home.”</p>
<p>———————-</p>
<p>A week later we all go to Fun Town and spend a few hours all together…the SAMCRO guys, Gemma, Belle, and me. When Clay sends Juice off to handle some club business, Belle and I stay with Jax, Tig, Clay, and Gemma. Jax is walking with his arm around Belle’s shoulders, so Tig does the same with me. I lean in to quietly say:<br/>	“What, Tiggy? Afraid I’m going to run away?”<br/>	“Maybe I’m afraid I’m going to get lost.”<br/>I shake my head at him as Gemma starts talking about giving Clay a hand job in the photo booth. Belle and I lock eyes and both roll our eyes in unison as Jax and Tig laugh. </p>
<p>When we run into the Oswalds and their 13-year-old daughter Tristen, Gemma introduces Belle and Tristen and Belle says:<br/>	“Gramma, Tristen and I go to school together. I know who she is.”<br/>Elliot Oswald says:<br/>	“Gramma?”<br/>Jax grins and says:<br/>	“This beautiful girl here is my daughter, Elliot.”<br/>Tristen says:<br/>	“But your last name is Alvarez.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“That was my stepdad’s last name.”<br/>	“Oh. I’m gonna go to the Spinout. You want to come?”<br/>	“Yeah. Dad? Can I have your tickets?”<br/>Jax makes a face at her and says:<br/>	“How come I’m only Dad when you want something?”<br/>Elliot laughs and says:<br/>	“Because she’s a teenager. You’ll get used to it.”</p>
<p>Jax hands over his tickets and so does Tig, and the girls run off together. Elliot and his wife follow behind, and I just yell after Belle:<br/>	“We’re leaving at 7:00! If you’re late I’ll leave without you!”<br/>She glances back over her shoulder and yells:<br/>	“Yes, Mama!”<br/>Jax grabs me out from under Tig’s arm and says:<br/>	“Come on, let’s go in the funhouse.”<br/>	“You know I hate those things. Let’s go over to the games. You can prove how manly you are and win me a teddy bear.”<br/>	“Hey, I’m not the boyfriend. That ain’t my department, darlin’.”<br/>	“No, you’re the baby daddy. Hook a girl up with a goddamn teddy bear.”<br/>	“Fine.”</p>
<p>On the way, we get side-tracked by a clown in a drop tank. Jax tries to hit the target but fails, so the clown insults him and Jax, Tig, and Bobby shove him into the water. When they finally decide the clown has had enough, I step towards Jax and say:<br/>	“Picking on a poor, defenceless clown…Do you feel manly now?”</p>
<p>Before he can answer, the clown says something about leather butt-buddies and Jax lunges for him again. I wrap both arms around his waist and hold him back.<br/>	“Stop, Jackson.”<br/>	“He deserves a beating.”<br/>	“Sure, but here? In broad daylight? In public? No.”<br/>	“Yeah…Okay. You’re right.”<br/>He kisses my forehead and I let go of him before grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the games.</p>
<p>When Juice jogs up to us, Jax quickly lets go of my hand like we were doing something wrong. I look at him and laugh before saying:<br/>	“Okay, weirdo.”<br/>Juice says:<br/>	“We gotta go, guys. Kat, Gemma is still over by the photo booth.”<br/>	“Okay.”<br/>None of them move, so I say:<br/>	“Guys, I am a grown woman who is perfectly capable of wandering around this place by myself. Go. Deal with the Irish.”</p>
<p>They all walk away and I go in search of Gemma. I’ve just found her when Belle walks up and wraps her arm around my waist.<br/>	“Hi, baby. Did you have fun with Tristen?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Good.”<br/>We’re getting a drink when Tristen’s parents come running up asking if we’ve seen her. </p>
<p>The next morning there’s a knock on the door about 30 minutes after Belle left for school. When I open it, Jax is standing on the porch looking…freaked out. He pushes past me into the house and says:<br/>	“Is Belle okay?”<br/>	“She’s at school, love. What’s wrong?”<br/>	“Tristen was raped at Fun Town last night.”<br/>	“I know. We helped Elliot and Karen look for her. How do you know?”<br/>	“Elliot came to the shop today. He wants us to find the guy before Hale does.”<br/>	“So do it.”<br/>	“This wasn’t teenagers…We’ll kill the guy.”<br/>	“Good.”<br/>	“Good?”<br/>	“She’s 13, Jax. Yeah. Kill the bastard.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Juice doesn’t come to the house that night. I figure he’s just busy with club stuff, but when I wake up the next morning, he’s still not there and when I walk into the kitchen, I find Tig at the kitchen table.<br/>	“Morning, Tiggy.”<br/>	“Morning, Kat. Sorry, I was hoping to get out of here before you woke up.”<br/>	“Why? Because I don’t know my sister is a crow-eater?”<br/>	“Because this is your home. Your daughter’s home.”<br/>I walk over and kiss his cheek before saying:<br/>	“You’re always welcome here, Tig.”<br/>	“Thanks, baby.”<br/>	“Do you happen to know where Juice is?”<br/>He’s shaking his head when my phone rings.<br/>	“Hey, David.”<br/>	“Are you sure you want to be with Juice?”<br/>	“Why?”<br/>	“I just found him passed out outside of the police station in a diaper with a pacifier duct-taped in his mouth and a sign stapled to his chest that said ‘Slightly retarded child. Please adopt me.’ I say again…Are you sure you want to be with him?”<br/>I start laughing and say:<br/>	“Did you charge him with an indecent exposure?”<br/>	“No. I sent him home.”<br/>	“That’s hilarious.”<br/>	“Really?”<br/>	“Clearly he fucked up. That must have been the punishment. Thanks for letting me know. I was starting to worry since he didn’t come home.”<br/>	“Glad I could help. Bye, Katy.”<br/>I hang up and look at Tig who looks like he’s about to burst a lung trying not to laugh.<br/>	“Really?”<br/>	“He really fucked up, baby.”<br/>We’re both laughing when Juice walks in the front door. He shakes his head and says:<br/>	“So not funny.”<br/>	“Oh, baby…it’s hilarious.”<br/>	“Ugh. I need a shower.”<br/>	“And coffee?”<br/>	“Please.”</p>
<p>———————-</p>
<p>It’s been a couple of weeks since Fun Town and Gemma’s Taste of Charming fundraiser is happening tomorrow. Belle is at her friend Beth’s house and Gemma has roped me into helping her and Luann at the chilli booth, so I’m at Gemma’s helping her make the chilli. As we’re waiting for it to simmer, Gemma says:<br/>	“So, darlin’, how many nights has Juice stayed at your place?”<br/>	“Basically every night since we met…aside from now, of course, since he’s in Indian Hills.”<br/>	“Do you like having your bed back?”<br/>	“No. I miss him. I mean, I’m perfectly capable of sleeping alone…I just miss having him there.”<br/>	“Are you worried about all of that Indian Hills ass?”<br/>	“No. What happens on a run, stays on a run, right?”<br/>	“Are you sure, baby?”<br/>	“No. But I’m trying to be understanding. There’s no point picking fights about something that is just part of club life.”<br/>	“Do the crow-eaters here know he’s got an old lady?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Have you talked to him about what you would prefer when he goes on runs? My rule is what happens on a run, stays on a run…but a lot of old ladies tell their guys that it’s all cheating.”<br/>I shrug and say:<br/>	“It’s so new, Gemma. I don’t want to push.”<br/>	“You are his old lady. It is your job to make the rules…to tell him what you expect. He’s never had an old lady before…you have to train him.”<br/>	“He’s not a dog, Gemma.”<br/>She reaches out and twirls a section of my hair around her fingers.<br/>	“Oh, baby…Yes, he is.”</p>
<p>Before I can say anything, my phone rings.<br/>	“Hey, Donna.”<br/>	“Katy…Are you going to the fundraiser tomorrow?”<br/>	“Of course.”<br/>	“So it’s really not club business?”<br/>	“Nah. It’s Gemma’s baby. Ope’s doing the fireworks, right?”<br/>	“That’s what he and Jax say.”<br/>	“You don’t believe them?”<br/>	“I want him out, Kat.”<br/>	“Donna…that’s not how the club works and you know it.”<br/>	“Can you come over? I just need to talk.”<br/>	“Yeah. I’ll be right there.”<br/>I hang up and say:<br/>	“Donna’s having a club-related meltdown. I will be there later to help, okay?”<br/>	“Yup. Go, baby.”<br/>I stand up and lean down to kiss her cheek before leaving the house.</p>
<p>When I get to Opie’s house, he and Jax are in the yard, shirtless, digging baby stuff out of the storage shed. I stand and look at them for a moment before Opie says:<br/>	“Oh look, an audience.”<br/>I grin and say:<br/>	“I’m just admiring the view before I go inside to talk to Donna.”<br/>Jax says:<br/>	“I talked to Uncle Jury this morning.”<br/>	“Oh?”<br/>	“He says that Juice is enjoying everything Indian Hills has to offer.”<br/>	“You’re an ass.”</p>
<p>I turn to walk away, but before I get far his arms are around my waist. He quietly says:<br/>	“I’m sorry. I was just playing.”<br/>I start crying and say:<br/>	“It’s not funny, Jax. I hate knowing that when he’s out on runs he’s…”<br/>He turns me around in his arms and holds me tightly, stroking my hair as he says:<br/>	“He’s not. Uncle Jury said that the sweetbutts and working girls have all been throwing themselves at him…I really don’t understand the appeal…but he keeps turning them down, saying he has an old lady at home and he won’t hurt her like that. Uncle Jury is actually really proud of him and happy that he’s the club member Jury’s sweet Kathryn Mary ended up with.”<br/>	“As opposed to you, the walking, talking man whore.”<br/>	“Exactly. Do you miss him?”<br/>	“Yeah…A lot.”<br/>	“Why don’t you go to Indian Hills for a bit? A couple of days? Belle can stay with me. I know Uncle Jury would be thrilled to see you.”<br/>	“I don’t want to interfere on a run, Jax.”<br/>	“You wouldn’t be.”<br/>	“You’re sure?”<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>	“What about Beastie? Will you take care of him too?”<br/>	“Yes. I’ll take care of your damn dog. Actually, maybe I’ll just stay at your place.”<br/>	“Makes more sense, yeah.”<br/>	“So you’ll go?”<br/>	“After the fundraiser tomorrow.”<br/>	“Fair. Want me to tell Juice or Jury?”<br/>	“Nah. Let’s surprise Uncle Jury.”<br/>	“Katy…”<br/>	“Yeah?”<br/>	“Do you love him?”<br/>	“…Yeah. I do.”<br/>	“Are you worried about how soon it is?”<br/>	“I’m less worried about that than the fact that he’s in this goddamn club.”<br/>	“He’s not JT. You aren’t going to lose him.”<br/>	“You can’t promise that, Jax. I need to go inside now and reassure Donna that the club is family. And that she isn’t going to lose Ope again.”<br/>	“You don’t believe that though.”<br/>	“I am terrified of losing him…you, Opie, Piney, Clay, hell…I’ve even let myself get attached to Chibs, Tig, and Kip now too. Being a club old lady sucks. It’s living in a constant state of fear. Fear of the club, fear of Gemma, fear of the police, fear of all of your goddamn enemies, fear of the road. I thought being a cop’s wife was scary…It has nothing on this. And I know that Juice can see it…how scared I am. He tells me a very high-level overview of everything. I know he leaves stuff out because he doesn’t want me to worry…But I’m so scared all of the time. So yeah, I love him…but I can’t help but wonder if I made a mistake coming home.”</p>
<p>He holds me tighter against himself and very quietly says:<br/>	“You did not make a mistake coming home. You never should have left. You belong here, with us, because even though you are terrified of the club life, you are about to go inside and tell Donna that everything is going to be okay. Because you were trained by the queen, and you know that this club…this club is our family. It’s our home. And you know how much Opie needs this club.”<br/>	“Let me go. I’ll talk Donna off her ledge.”<br/>He lets me go but puts his hand on my cheek before tucking a bit of hair behind my ear with his other hand. He softly kisses me and says:<br/>	“This is what you were raised to be, Katy. I mean, I’m pretty sure Mom was training you to be the queen one day, but things change. You are a big part of this family, and Juice is lucky to have you as an old lady.”<br/>	“You know I love you, right?”<br/>	“Yeah, Katy…I know.”<br/>I kiss his cheek and walk away, heading into the house.	</p>
<p>——————</p>
<p>The next day, I pull into the lot at the school as Opie does and park next to him. Belle and I get out and hug Donna and the kids as Donna asks Opie about Kyle. When we get over to where Jax is standing, he puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me tight against his side as he says:<br/>	“Does Donna know about Kyle?”<br/>Opie says:<br/>	“No.”<br/>	“Go hang with your family, man. Take my kid with you.”<br/>Opie bends down and lets Belle get on his back for a piggyback ride like he used to when she was little, and they walk off to catch up with Donna and the kids. As they walk off, Jax kisses the side of my head and says:<br/>	“You’re shaking, darlin’.”<br/>	“I haven’t been near Kyle since…”<br/>	“I got you. He won’t touch you, okay?”<br/>	“Yeah. Okay.”<br/>	“Go, help Mom. I’ll come to find you later.”</p>
<p>As I walk away from him, I hear him talking to Kyle. Telling him to stay away from everyone. Then I hear Kyle say:<br/>	“Didn’t you break up with Katy years ago?”<br/>	“Yeah. I did. She’s Juice’s old lady now.”<br/>	“So why was she just with you?”<br/>	“He’s out of town and she and I share a child.”<br/>	“She’s still smoking hot.”<br/>	“Stay the fuck away from her.”</p>
<p>I walk over to Gemma’s booth and wrap my arms around her waist when I get behind her.<br/>	“Hi, baby.”<br/>	“Why is Kyle here?”<br/>	“April asked if he could come to see Charlie’s band play.”<br/>	“I’m not happy about this.”<br/>	“I know, baby. Do you want to leave?”<br/>	“Yeah…maybe. Would that be okay?”<br/>	“Yeah. I’ll bring Belle home later if Jax isn’t around. Go tell both of them you’re leaving. You may as well head up to Jury’s now.”<br/>	“Yeah…That’s a good idea.”<br/>I kiss her cheek and walk over to Jax.</p>
<p>When I get to him, I wrap my arms around his waist and say:<br/>	“I’m going to head to Jury’s now. Gemma says she’ll take Belle home later if you aren’t around. Gemma has a key to the house.”<br/>	“Are you sure? You were looking forward to this.”<br/>	“I don’t want to be here with him here.”<br/>	“I’m sorry, babe. We asked Opie but didn’t ask you. I should have thought about it.”<br/>	“It’s fine. I’m fine. Can you walk with me to find Belle?”<br/>	“And then walk you to your car?”<br/>	“Please.”<br/>I step away from him and he wraps an arm around my shoulders as we walk to find Belle. </p>
<p>When we find her she’s sitting on Opie’s lap, playing thumb war with Ellie. I shake my head and say:<br/>	“You know, most mothers would be concerned about their teenage daughter sitting on an adult man’s lap.”<br/>Belle laughs and says:<br/>	“It’s just Uncle Opie.”<br/>	“Yeah. That’s why I’m not concerned.”<br/>Opie says:<br/>	“You look shaken, Katy. Are you okay?”<br/>	“I haven’t seen him since he raped me. Him being here just threw me.”<br/>	“Shit. I’m sorry. We should have checked with you.”<br/>	“It’s fine. I’m heading to Jury’s. I was going to leave in the morning, but I’m gonna leave now instead.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“Do I have to go home?”<br/>	“No, love. Dad or Gramma will take you home later. Just stay with Aunty Donna until then, okay? And no helping Uncle Opie with the fireworks!”<br/>	“Yes, Mama.”<br/>	“Be good for Dad, okay? He’s not used to having a teenage daughter, so go easy on him.”<br/>	“No drug-fuelled orgies…got it.”<br/>	“Exactly. We gotta ease him into this stuff.”<br/>Jax shakes his head and says:<br/>	“That is not even a little bit funny.”<br/>Belle and I both start laughing and say:<br/>	“Of course it is.”<br/>I lean in and give Belle a kiss and say:<br/>	“I’ll be home in a couple of days. Seriously, be good for Dad.”<br/>	“Yes, ma’am.”</p>
<p>Jax walks me to my car, and I leave the school. I stop at home to grab my bag and then start the drive to Indian Hills.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When I get to the Indian Hills clubhouse I park the car and walk inside. One of the girls says:<br/>	“Oh, sorry sweetie. This is a private bar.”<br/>	“Is Jury around?”<br/>	“Oh…You know Jury?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“At the bar, love.”<br/>	“Thanks.”<br/>I walk over to the bar behind Jury and wrap my arms around his neck before kissing his cheek and saying:<br/>	“Hi, Uncle Jury.”<br/>He grins and says:<br/>	“Kathryn Mary! My sweet girl. What are you doing here?”<br/>	“Jax suggested I come for a few days. Is that cool?”<br/>	“Of course. You are always welcome here sweetheart. That guy of yours has a room in the back. He already went to bed. Cherry will show you where it is.”<br/>	“Thanks.”<br/>He gestures to someone on the other side of the bar and a cute girl with red hair walks over and Jury says:<br/>	“Cherry, show Katy to Juice’s room.”<br/>	“But, Jury…He’s been turning down all the girls because of his old lady.”<br/>I smile and say:<br/>	“Hi. I’m the old lady.”<br/>	“Oh. Okay then. Come with me.”</p>
<p>She leads me down a hallway and gestures at a door. <br/>	“It’s that one. It has a private bathroom too. You’ll have to knock, he’s taken to locking the door.”<br/>	“Thanks, Cherry.”<br/>She walks away and I knock on the door. From inside I hear:<br/>	“I keep telling you, I’m not interested.”<br/>I knock on the door again and I hear him moving towards it before the lock disengages and he opens the door.<br/>	“I’m not…Kat!”<br/>	“Hi, baby.”<br/>He grabs my arm and pulls me inside before closing and locking the door again.<br/>	“What are you doing here?”<br/>I shrug and say:<br/>	“I missed you, so Jax suggested I come up for a few days. See you, visit Uncle Jury.”<br/>	“You call him Uncle Jury too?”<br/>	“Yeah. JT made me when I was a kid…it stuck.”<br/>	“I missed you. I’m still here for another week too.”<br/>	“I know.”<br/>	“I haven’t…”<br/>	“I know. Jury was telling Jax how happy he is that you are the club member I ended up with because all the other guys would have been all over the pussy in this place.”<br/>He shrugs and says:<br/>	“I don’t want anyone but you.”<br/>	“Such a sappy boy.”<br/>I put my bag down and step towards him, wrapping my arms around his neck.<br/>	“How about I show you how much I missed you?”<br/>He kisses me and says:<br/>	“I didn’t bring condoms with me, babe.”<br/>	“Well…I’m on birth control, and I’m clean. Are you?”<br/>	“Yeah, I’m clean…I wouldn’t risk being with you if I wasn’t.”<br/>	“Well then…maybe we can just forego the condoms.”<br/>I watch as he thinks about it, and when his eyes turn dark and hungry I smirk and kiss him. </p>
<p>Afterwards, we’re lying in bed, curled around each other and he’s gently running his fingers along my hip when I say:<br/>	“I was thinking…”<br/>	“About?”<br/>	“I really hate it when you’re gone.”<br/>	“I hate it too. I sleep better with you. I don’t do well on my own.”<br/>	“When you come home, let’s find a place for us to live that isn’t with Jess.”<br/>	“You want to officially move in together? How would Belle feel about that?”<br/>	“Juice, Belle would have us get married tomorrow if she thought we’d cooperate.”<br/>	“Really?”<br/>	“She loves you. Why are you surprised about this?”<br/>	“Guess I thought she might hold out hope that you and Jax would get back together.”<br/>	“No. In fact, when we found out Jax was her dad, she was concerned I would get back together with him because she didn’t want that to happen.”<br/>	“Why?”<br/>	“Because she loves you. Am I speaking Russian?”<br/>	“Do you?”<br/>	“What? Speak Russian? No.”<br/>He rolls his eyes and says:<br/>	“Love me?”<br/>	“Yeah. I do.”<br/>	“Really?”<br/>	“Yeah, Juice. Really. I love you. I even told Jax as much, so it has to be official now.”<br/>	“So…just to be clear…your ex knew you loved me before I did?”<br/>	“Yeah. He asked.”<br/>	“Kat…I…”<br/>	“Don’t, okay? You don’t have to say it just because I did. It’s really soon. I know. I’m not pushing. In fact, forget what I said earlier…It’s too soon for us to live together.”<br/>	“Kat. Stop. Jesus, let a man speak.”<br/>	“Sorry.”</p>
<p>We’re both silent for a minute and then he quietly says:<br/>	“I want to live with you, but I’m scared about fucking things up and hurting you and Belle. I’ve never done this before…An actual relationship. It feels like I love you, but I’ve never been in love, so how do I know for sure? I don’t want to hurt you.”<br/>I don’t say anything and he sighs before saying:<br/>	“Say something, Kat.”<br/>	“I can’t tell you what to do, Juice. What I can say is that Belle and I have been through some shit, and we are tough. We don’t need you to protect us, especially from some hypothetical event in the future that causes you to hurt us. You know how I feel. The rest is up to you. Now, do you want me to stay, or do you want me to ask Uncle Jury if I can stay at his house?”<br/>	“I want you to stay. I sleep better with you in my arms.”<br/>	“Okay. Then I’m going to go to sleep. It’s been a long and somewhat traumatic day.”<br/>	“Traumatic?”<br/>	“Kyle was at the charity thing. I didn’t know he was coming. It was the first time I had seen him since the night he raped me when we were teenagers.”<br/>	“Did Opie know he was coming?”<br/>	“Yeah…The club voted. They all knew he would be there.”<br/>	“And Jax didn’t warn you?”<br/>	“He didn’t think about it.”<br/>	“Of course not. That would involve him thinking about someone other than himself.”<br/>	“That’s not fair, Juice. He was worried about how Opie felt about Kyle being there. It’s a more recent issue, and for the past fifteen years, they didn’t know who raped me.”<br/>	“But he knows now. He should have thought about it.”<br/>	“It’s not his job to protect me. I’m grown.”<br/>	“When he’s making decisions that affect you, he needs to tell you what’s happening.”<br/>	“You know what? I’m not doing this with you. You seem pretty intent on hating on Jax right now, and you know, Opie didn’t tell me either, so…I’m going to spend the night at Uncle Jury’s and then head home in the morning. I’ll see you when you get back to Charming.”<br/>	“Kat…”<br/>I get up out of bed and start getting dressed before I say:<br/>	“I don’t know what your problem with Jax is, but he is never going to not be a part of my life. He is my daughter’s father and before that, we grew up together. I have known him literally my whole life. He is also your VP. So whatever your issue, get over it. Because if this is how you are going to act, we can’t be together. I won’t live like this, with you picking apart every little thing he does. It was an oversight. He didn’t mean for me to be hurt.”<br/>	“Kathryn…”<br/>	“I’ll see you when you get back to Charming, Juice."</p>
<p>I finish getting dressed and leave the room, taking my bag with me. When I get to the bar, Uncle Jury says:<br/>	“Sweetheart, what’s going on?”<br/>	“Nothing, Uncle Jury. Me coming here was a mistake. I’m gonna go home.”<br/>	“Spend the night at my house tonight, love. Leave in the morning.”<br/>	“No…I think I’m just going to go home…Climb into bed with Belle.”<br/>	“Call me when you get there or I’ll worry.”<br/>	“I will. Love you.”<br/>I kiss his cheek and start walking away as he says:<br/>	“I love you too my sweet girl.”</p>
<p>As I’m putting my bag in the car, two motorcycles pull up and the riders — Mayans — call me a Sons whore.<br/>	“My father-in-law is Marcus Alvarez. You might want to reconsider how you want to speak to me.”<br/>	“You’re Kat?”<br/>	“That’s me.”<br/>	“Shit. Sorry. Are you headed back to Charming?”<br/>	“Yes.”<br/>	“We’ll give you an escort to the border. Make sure no-one bothers you.”<br/>	“I would appreciate that. Thanks.”</p>
<p>I drive home with these two Mayans following me to the border and then another two from the border to Charming. When I get home I call Uncle Jury.<br/>	“Kathryn.”<br/>	“I’m home.”<br/>	“Did you and Juice break up?”<br/>	“No. I told him to get over whatever issue he has with Jax because Jax isn’t going anywhere and I can’t live with him constantly hating on Jax…why?”<br/>	“Oh, sweetheart. Nothing. Everything’s fine.”<br/>	“Immediately after I left he decided to sample the fine selection of pussy you have, huh?”<br/>	“…Yeah. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”<br/>	“It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Goodnight, Uncle Jury.”<br/>I hang up and walk into the house. Once I’m inside, I go into my room and quietly pick up my laptop before going to the kitchen table, trying not to wake Jax up.</p>
<p>I’m sitting at the table looking at house listings when Jax walks up behind me and puts his hands on my shoulders.<br/>	“What happened, babe?”<br/>	“Nothing that matters. Go back to bed.”<br/>He closes my laptop and says:<br/>	“Come with me. I’ll help you look at houses tomorrow.”<br/>	“Jax…I…”<br/>	“I’m not suggesting you fuck me, Katy. Just that you come to bed.”<br/>	“Yeah…Okay. I need to shower first.”<br/>I grab pyjamas and go into the bathroom to shower. When I come out, Jax is asleep on his back with his arm outstretched, so I climb into bed next to him and curl up with my head on his chest. He wraps his arm around me, and I’m asleep very quickly. </p>
<p>In the morning, I’m woken up by Belle saying:<br/>	“You promised you weren’t getting back together with him.”<br/>	“What? Oh. I’m not baby. We were just sleeping.”<br/>	“I thought you went to see Juice.”<br/>	“I did. I shouldn’t have.”<br/>	“Mama…what happened?”<br/>	“It doesn’t matter, love. The fact that I am no longer an old lady doesn’t affect your relationship with anyone in the club.”<br/>	“Mama…”<br/>	“No, Annabelle. Leave it alone.”<br/>	“Fine. I’m going to Gramma’s.”<br/>	“Okay.”</p>
<p>I get out of bed and say:<br/>	“Go home, Jax.”<br/>	“I told you I’d help you find a house.”<br/>	“I’m good. Thanks.”<br/>	“Katy…What happened?”<br/>	“Nothing. I don’t need you involved. Please just go home.”<br/>	“Fine. I’ll be at the hospital if you change your mind.”<br/>	“Alright.”</p>
<p>After he and Belle leave, I open my laptop and look at house listings again. When I find a house I like near the high school, I call the owner to see if I can rent it immediately. I’m told I can move in today, so I meet him at the house to pay the rent and pick up the keys.</p>
<p>When I get home again, I start packing up my room and Belle’s room before calling Marcus.<br/>	“Kat, what’s wrong?”<br/>	“I need help moving, Pops…Today? Now?”<br/>	“Moving where?”<br/>	“Another house in Charming. Please, Pops?”<br/>	“I need to bring a couple of guys to help me lift things and to drive the bike and Mark’s car over, right?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Are you okay with Esai coming?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Alright. We’re on our way.”<br/>I hang up, and while I’m waiting for them to arrive, I fill my car with boxes. I manage to get most of the stuff from the bedrooms into the car, so it’s mostly just furniture and the stuff we have stored in the garage that’s left.</p>
<p>Once they are there we make quick work of moving everything over to the new house. They help me assemble the furniture and unpack the boxes from storage with the kitchen stuff in them. After we finish, they leave and I go back to Jess’s house to get Beastie.</p>
<p>When I walk into Jess’s house, Chibs is sitting on the couch.<br/>	“I thought you were going to Indian Hills, darlin’.”<br/>	“I did. I came home.”<br/>	“What happened?”<br/>	“Nothing that matters.”<br/>I grab Beastie’s leash and before leaving the house with Beastie, I say:<br/>	“Let Jess know I’ll give her my new address tomorrow. Okay?”<br/>	“You moved?”<br/>	“Yeah. It was time. I’ve been hiding in my sister’s house for long enough.”<br/>	“Is Juicy Boy moving in with you?”<br/>	“No.”<br/>	“But he’ll be there every night anyways.”<br/>	“No. He won’t.”<br/>	“Kat…What happened?”<br/>I shrug and shake my head.<br/>	“Bye, Chibs.”<br/>I walk out of the house with Beastie and go to pick Belle up from Gemma’s.</p>
<p>When I get there, Gemma says:<br/>	“Jury called. Says something happened with you and Juice last night…Juice went from turning down the girls to fucking multiple at once. What the fuck happened?”<br/>	“We’re not together anymore. He can fuck whomever he chooses.”<br/>	“What happened?”<br/>	“It doesn’t matter, Gemma. It was stupid of me to think that I could make it work after he found out that Belle is Jax’s. It’s fine. I’m fine.”<br/>	“I assume you’re here to get Belle.”<br/>	“Yeah.”</p>
<p>When Belle and I get to the new house, she says:<br/>	“Is Juice moving in with us?”<br/>	“No. Juice is not…we’re not together anymore. I don’t want SAMCRO in this house. You understand me? Even your Dad. You can have relationships with them, I’m not going to stand in the way, but I don’t want them here.”<br/>	“How did you get moved so fast?”<br/>	“Abuelito, Uncle Esai, and Uncle Jesse.”<br/>	“So Mayans are allowed to be here, but not SAMCRO?”<br/>	“Belle…can we not? Please?”</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I manage to avoid SAMCRO for over a month until Belle comes home one day and says:<br/>	“Abel’s coming home today. Dad wants us both to come to his homecoming party tonight.”<br/>	“Fine. But only because it’s Abel.”<br/>	“Thank you, Mama.”</p>
<p>That night when we walk into the party, everyone stops talking and stares at me. I look around and mutter:<br/>	“Well, this isn’t uncomfortable at all.”<br/>Belle says:<br/>	“It’ll be fine, Mama. They just didn’t think you’d actually show up.”<br/>	“Yeah, well. I wish I hadn’t.”<br/>	“Breathe.”<br/>	“Go visit with your family, Belle. I need air.”<br/>	“They’re your family too.”<br/>	“No, they aren’t. It’s okay. I’m okay, babe. Go.”</p>
<p>She walks into the living room, and I walk out the front door. As I’m walking away from the house, I hear the door open and close again before I hear:<br/>	“Kat…talk to me.”<br/>I shake my head and say:<br/>	“There’s nothing to say, Juice.”<br/>	“I love you.”<br/>	“You have a strange way of showing it.”<br/>	“I fucked up. I told you, I don’t do well on my own.”<br/>	“You were fucking other girls before I even got back here. You didn’t try to be alone for very long.”<br/>	“I’m sorry. Give me another chance. I love you. You love me.”<br/>I shrug and shake my head before saying:<br/>	“I’m not sure I do. Go back to the party.”<br/>	“Liar. I’ll go back to the party when you tell the truth.”<br/>I close my eyes and take a deep breath before saying:<br/>	“Fine. I love you. It doesn’t change anything. Go back to the party.”</p>
<p>He grabs my arm and spins me around so I’m facing him before pulling me to himself and kissing me. I don’t kiss him back at first, I even push against his chest to make him let me go, but he just tightens his grip on me and keeps kissing me until I start kissing him back and melt into him. We eventually pull apart, but he keeps his tight grip on me as he says:<br/>	“I love you. I fucked up, but you are my old lady. You can’t just move without telling anyone where you live and avoid me for over a month. Talk to me.”<br/>	“I love you, but I’m not your old lady. You made that very clear when you went through Jury’s stable of girls like it was fucking revenge. All I asked was that you get over whatever issue you have with Jax because he’s not going anywhere. I never said anything about breaking up, at least not right then, but before I even got back home you were in another pussy. Did you honestly think I would just…be okay with that?”<br/>	“I wasn’t thinking. Please give me another chance.”<br/>I step backwards out of his arms and say:<br/>	“Not tonight. Go back to the party.” <br/>	“Where are you going?”<br/>	“For a walk. Tell Belle she can come home or spend the night with Jax or Gemma.”<br/>I turn around and walk away from him and he says:<br/>	“Am I ever getting you back?”<br/>	“I don’t know. Go back to the party.”<br/>I keep walking and when I turn around, he’s gone. I head home and crawl into bed before falling into a fitful sleep.</p>
<p>I’m woken up a couple of hours later by the ringing of my phone.<br/>	“Hello?”<br/>	“Kat…It’s Tig. Can I…can I come over?”<br/>	“Yeah. You’ve picked Belle up, you know the address.”<br/>I hang up and immediately there’s a knock on the door. When I answer it, Tig is standing there, crying. I pull him into a hug and then lead him into the house and close the door. Once we’re sitting on the couch I say:<br/>	“What happened?”<br/>	“Donna is dead.”<br/>	“What?”<br/>	“It was a driveby. She was driving Opie’s truck. I guess they killed her thinking they were killing Opie.”<br/>I start crying and say:<br/>	“Tig…Why are you so upset about this? You and Donna weren’t close…Was this you?”<br/>He starts sobbing and says:<br/>	“It was supposed to be Opie. They switched cars after I left. I didn’t mean to kill her. I don’t kill women. I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…”<br/>I wrap my arms around him and rub his back.<br/>	“You were following orders, Tiggy. Donna was a mistake. Breathe, everything will be okay.”<br/>	“She was your friend. How are you comforting me right now?”<br/>	“She’s gone, you’re not. But if it were me who was dead, she’d be comforting you too. It was a mistake.”</p>
<p>When there’s a knock on the door a little while later, Tig is lying on the couch asleep with his head on my lap. Since I’m stuck here as a pillow, I call out:<br/>	“Come in.”<br/>The door opens and Clay walks in. He looks at me as I run my fingers through Tig’s hair and says:<br/>	“He told you about Donna?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“He tell you it was him?”<br/>	“No. I figured it out.”<br/>	“Stahl made me think Opie was a rat. It was supposed to be Opie.”<br/>	“Opie would never rat on the club.”<br/>	“I know that now. I tried to stop it. He didn’t answer his phone.”<br/>	“It’s okay, Clay. Everything will be okay.”<br/>	“We can’t tell them the truth.”<br/>	“I know. I won’t say anything. You play this however you want to play it. The club is my daughter’s family legacy. I would never do anything to damage it. Besides, I’m not involved in the club anymore. I don’t even know why Tig came to me tonight.”<br/>	“You set him at ease. There are not many people who can do that. Pretty much just you and Gemma.”<br/>	“Well, he can stay here tonight. If anyone else comes by I’ll just tell them that you sent him in case it wasn’t an isolated incident.”<br/>	“Good. Jax sent Juice after Tara when she stormed off, and he had orders to stay with her, so it’s believable that I would send Tig to you.”<br/>	“Okay. Good night, Clay.”</p>
<p>As he leaves, my phone rings.<br/>	“Hey.”<br/>	“Katy…Donna was killed tonight.”<br/>	“I know, Jax. Tig got here an hour ago.”<br/>	“Why is Tig there?”<br/>	“Clay sent him to stay with me in case it wasn’t an isolated incident.”<br/>	“Come over here. I’ll protect you.”<br/>	“I’m fine where I am. Tig won’t let anyone hurt me.”<br/>	“I’ll get Half-Sack to replace Juice watching Tara and send him over to you.”<br/>	“No. I don’t want him here. I’m fine with Tig.”<br/>	“Juice loves you, darlin’. He’s going to want to be with you.”<br/>	“I’m fine with Tig. Thanks.”<br/>	“Kathryn…”<br/>	“Jax. I’m okay. Is Belle with you or Gemma?”<br/>	“Gemma. Call me if you need anything, okay?”<br/>	“Yeah. Okay. Get some sleep, Jax.”<br/>I hang up and notice that Tig is awake, so I stand up and hold my hand out to him.<br/>	“Come on. The bed is way more comfortable than this damn couch.”<br/>	“Are you sure, Katy?”</p>
<p>I roll my eyes and walk over to the front door to lock it before walking towards my room.<br/>	“You can stay there on the uncomfortable couch or come join me. Your call.”<br/>I walk into my room and before I can get into bed, he has walked into the room behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.<br/>	“I did just mean to sleep, Tig.”<br/>	“I know…I just need to feel something other than what I’m feeling…Please, Kat.”<br/>I turn around in his arms and kiss him while I push his kutte off of his shoulders and start undoing the buttons on his shirt. As I push his shirt off, he says:<br/>	“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”<br/>	“Why wouldn’t I be? We’re both single and it’s just sex.”<br/>I reach for his belt and he pulls my shirt off before running his hands over me. </p>
<p>The next morning, I’m woken up by Juice’s voice saying:<br/>	“Are you fucking kidding me?”<br/>	“What are you doing here?”<br/>	“I wanted to make sure you were okay since your best friend’s wife was murdered last night.”<br/>	“Who gave you my address?”<br/>	“Jax. He gave me the key too. Neither of us expected that you’d be in bed with him.”<br/>	“I’m single. I can fuck anyone I want. Get out of my house.”<br/>He turns around and leaves the room. When I hear the front door slam I smack Tig and say:<br/>	“You too. Get out.”<br/>	“Katy…Are you okay?”<br/>	“I’ll be better when I have my house to myself. Out.”<br/>He gets dressed and leaves the house.</p>
<p>I don’t see any of the SAMCRO guys until Donna’s funeral a week after her death. Jax was supposed to come to pick Belle up for the funeral, but when he didn’t show up I got dressed and took her. </p>
<p>When we get to the cemetery, Gemma wraps her arm around Belle’s shoulders and leads her to the chairs next to the gravesite. I kiss Opie and the kids before dropping a flower on Donna’s casket and walking away.</p>
<p>I walk across the cemetery to Jax’s little brother’s grave and I sit down, leaning against his headstone.<br/>	“Hi, Tommy. I’m sorry I haven’t been here to talk to you in a while. Things have been crazy.”<br/>I sit there quietly with my eyes closed for a little while until someone walks up and sits next to me. I open my eyes as Jax wraps his arm around my shoulders.<br/>	“Why didn’t you stay for the funeral, Katy?”<br/>	“Why didn’t you?”<br/>	“I’m pissed at Clay and Tig.”<br/>	“Because they were trying to kill Opie and fucked up?”<br/>	“You knew?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Before or after you fucked Tig?”<br/>	“Before.”<br/>	“What? Seriously?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“Why did you fuck him anyways?”<br/>	“Because he needed to feel something other than the guilt he was feeling and he asked. Besides, I’m single and I can fuck whoever I want.”<br/>	“I didn’t say you couldn’t. Although, for the record, if you wanted to get laid, I could have helped you out with that.”<br/>	“Ugh. No thanks.”</p>
<p>Piney and Juice walk up before he can say anything else. Piney hands Jax a large envelope and says:<br/>	“It’s time for a change.”<br/>Piney walks away as Juice reaches down and pulls me up.<br/>	“Come for a walk with me.”<br/>	“Yeah, okay.”</p>
<p>I take his hand and let him lead me through the cemetery. When we get out of earshot of Piney and Jax, he says:<br/>	“I shouldn’t have come to your house without your permission. I’m sorry.”<br/>	“Okay.”<br/>	“I shouldn’t have judged you for fucking Tig.”<br/>	“No. You shouldn’t have. I’m single and can fuck anyone I want.”<br/>	“Can we correct the you being single thing? I know I fucked up, but I love you.”<br/>	“Yeah…I love you too.”<br/>	“Can you please be my old lady again?”<br/>	“Yeah…but none of this ‘what happens on a run, stays on a run’ bullshit.”<br/>	“I can agree to that. I don’t want anyone but you.”<br/>	“Have you figured out your issues with Jax?”<br/>	“Yeah.”<br/>	“And there’s no latent desire to beat the shit out of Tig?”<br/>	“We weren’t together. I can handle the fact that you fucked him.”<br/>	“Good. For the record, even if we weren’t getting back together…Tig and I never would have happened again.”<br/>	“Can we get out of here now, please?”<br/>	“Yeah…Let’s get Belle and go home.”<br/>	“Home?”<br/>	“Move in with us.”<br/>	“If Belle says it’s okay, yes.”<br/>	“Okay, we can ask her.”</p>
<p>As we turn around to walk back to the group, Belle walks up to us and I see her notice our joined hands before she says:<br/>	“Finally. Does this mean Juice is moving in?”<br/>I say:<br/>	“I asked him to. He says it’s up to you.”<br/>	“Uh…yes! Of course.”</p>
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